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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
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APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
The return of anti-Asian hate in Canada MIGRANTS' VOICES
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n March 27 a march and rally against Asian hate was held in Edmonton and Calgary. In Edmonton, there were about a hundred people that attended. The event was organized by Building Bridges Against Hate. The protest was held in light of the killings of eight people in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States. Six of the eight people were Asian women. The killings sparked global grief and condemnations. Racism and violent
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attacks on Asians grew along with the spread of COVID-19 pandemic. In the US, former President Donald Trump's first tweet about a "Chinese
virus" triggered a rise in anti-Asian sentiments in the country. Trump called the virus “Wuhan Virus” or “Kung Flu”.
Here in Canada, there has also been a massive spike in violence. Global News reported that in Vancouver, the police documented a significant increase in anti-Asian hate crimes in 2020 - from 12 cases in 2019 to 98 cases last year. Last year alone, elimin8hate.orga website platform that provide an anonymous and safe reporting environment for Asians experiencing anti-Asian attacks reported that from March 10th, 2020 to February 28th, 2021 there were 1,150 cases of racist attacks across Canada. Another site called covidracism.ca reported 835 cases. History of Racism against Asians in Canada Covid-19 amplified not only the economic imbalance in our society but also anti-Asian racism. However, discrimination against people of Asian descent is not new. The Canadian Centre for Diversity and Inclusion and the Canadian Council for Refugees put together a historical timeline of anti-Asian racism in Canada from the late 1800s. • The Chinese Head Tax – this was part of the Chinese Immigration Act of 1885. A head tax was imposed on each immigrant entering into continued on page 7 ►
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AFJ Staff | Editor’s Corner | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
EDITOR’S CORNER Lito Mendoza Velasco Published by Angeles Publishing Company Inc. 246 Lindsay Crescent, Edmonton, Alberta T6R 2T2 Jose L. Angeles Publisher / Chief Operating Officer Sales and Advertising CP: 780-916-7677, Landline: 780-988-8889 Fax: 780-988-2221 publisher@albertafilipinojournal.com Lito Mendoza Velasco Editor-in-Chief / Associate Publisher 780-655-5126 editor@albertafilipinojournal.com Lianne Angeles Associate Editor Melanie Rose Atizado Angeles Administrator / Office Manager Sales and Advertising, 780-993-5503 albertafilipinojournal79@gmail.com Mark Angeles, Mike Angeles Distribution Managers - Edmonton Andy Chua Marketing Manager - Edmonton +1 (780) 965-3549, fcchua@hotmail.com Stephen Burry Distribution Manager - Calgary 1 (587) 938-3100, Freedommigrate@gmail.com Manny Bautista Advertising, Sales and Marketing Manager 780-802-0848, canadianasset@gmail.com Rodel Paguirigan Advertising, Sales and Marketing Manager - Calgary 1 (403) 921-0148, rodelpaguirigan@gmail.com Melanie C. Gomez Website / Graphic Designer Photographers/Videographer: Moses Billacura, Noli Granado, Dario Juanillo Columnists: Marjorie Carmona-Newman, Tito S. Venida, Ida Beltran-Lucila, Kristian Cereno, Marco Luciano, Moses Billacura, Mervin Mendoza Cereno, Nicky Gocuan, Giselle General, Hermo Pagtakhan, Januel Cedrick Ibasco, Fr. Jhack Diaz, Bing J. Jaleco Contributing Writers: Katrina Marielle U. Cereno, Leonila Samarita, Raquel Getigan, Jasmine-Grace Nacu The Alberta Filipino Journal is dedicated in memory of Rosalinda Linsangan Natividad-Cantiveros of Winnipeg as she engaged her entire life in service to the Filipino Community. We welcome submissions-news, articles, pictures and letters. Letters must include signature and phone number; names can be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit for length and content. All submissions, unless arrangements are made, become the property of the publisher. Reproduction of contents, in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited without the expressed written permission from the Publisher/Editor. Opinions by columnist, writers, and readers do not in any way reflect those of the Publisher/Editor.
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Dilemma: True or False? People have always been confronted by confusions. Either by contrariety or by contradiction; either by obsolete syllogism or fallacious arguments coming from external or cultural influences or by imposing extreme self-abnegation and sacrifices. The Inner World of Rage A person who hasn’t felt love at home has a tendency to home wrecker. Of course, expect love and trust from who has not experienced loved and trusted. The weak the streets are his scapegoats. to hurt rather than be hurt (exert effort) by love. He tries to inflict harm on others to compensate for what he felt in the past. A person who hasn’t been loved and trusted will not become self-reliant and trustworthy. His heart is filled with rage and therefore dangerous to society. True of false? Suppressed Feelings are Suppressing People, especially those who come from extremely religious families are considered culturallyconditioned. They completely
and confidence become a you cannot a person being people on He loves
succumb to sheer conservatism. Self expression may be suppressed by family customs, beliefs, and cultural preservation. Unmindful about the substantial effects of such disorientation in the future. For instance, a parent who decides what course his child is going to take in college is living proof or reflection of an individual who failed to achieve his dream during his college days. Now, what will you expect from this poor child who blindly obeys his parent when he himself becomes a parent? A culturally-conditioned person keeps on obeying for obedience’s sake. He keeps on observing a rule which says: “Ang utos ng hari ay di mababali. (Whatever the king says cannot be changed. It must absolutely be obeyed).” Another saying that is diligently scrutinized is:“Obey first before you complain.” Isn’t it better if we translate it this way: Complain and explain first before you obey. Thus, the probability of achieving the desired result must b realistically be met. Remember, gone were the days of maestros and maestras who always had authority over us. True or False?
Being Undecided is a Decision Hey people! The most relaxed and peaceful person is the one who decides for himself. He listens but he picks what’s good for him. This is making sure that nobody is going to be blamed when he fails because of the decision he made. Anyway, the good or bad result is always at the very end of the journey. Just never be afraid to proceed because FEAR is False Evidence Appearing to be Real. Failure to decide is a decision gearing towards a never ending generation of frustration. True or False?
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
City Government's Update
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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The Community Inclusive Initiative Edmonton Arts Council Seeks Edmonton’s Ninth Poet Laureate from Edmonton Police Service By: Giselle General
C
ontinuing the theme from last month regarding the topic of community resources for hate-based incidents and crime, in this article I would like to talk about the initiative from the Edmonton Police Service called the Commitment to Action. The initiative was launched after the events of 2020 that put a spotlight on how members of the public feel they are treated by the police. The topic is also timely given the rise in Anti Asian Racism. Members of the community who are BIPOC (Black, Indigenous and People of Color) want more action so that they feel safe in the community. The Chief of Police announced this initiative as a way to gather information and perspectives straight from those who are experiencing these difficulties and are most
Chief Dale McFee
affected by any changes that are implemented. How to Participate in this initiative: • Scheduled Sessions: There are prescheduled sessions on a monthly basis that anyone can sign up for. All the dates are listed on the Commitment to Action webpage. • Request an Engagement Session: If you are part of a cultural, nonprofit or community organization, or even an informal group, there is an option to request an in-person or online session to gather feedback on how police should change their processes in serving the community. It is optional to have police attend these sessions, so you can make a plan depending on what will make the participants feel the
most safe and open to share. • Directly Share Input Online (Digital Sticky Notes): The digital sticky notes allow people to share quick ideas and they get compiled on the webpage. The space is short, about 140 characters, but you can make multiple suggestions and answer different questions. • Share Stories Online: If you would like to share a story of your experiences with Edmonton Police, both good and bad, this is where you can write a longer submission. For the online submissions, they do require an email address, as a copy of your suggestion is emailed to you for reference. All of this information can be found at: https:// commitmenttoaction.ca/ For our fellow Kababayans who live in different parts of Alberta, I recommend checking your local municipality if there is a similar initiative that is being done by the police department. If there isn’t one, consider suggesting it!
Edmonton — The Edmonton Arts Council, City of Edmonton, and Edmonton Public Library have issued a call for Edmonton’s ninth Poet Laureate. As an ambassador for the literary arts, the Poet Laureate incorporates poetry that reflects Edmonton, its people, and its diversity into official and informal city activities. "The Poet Laureate plays an important role in capturing the stories of our city. During the COVID-19 pandemic, we've seen just how this position can amplify the voices and shared experiences of Edmontonians,” said Mayor Don Iveson. “I look forward to seeing how our next Poet Laureate will continue to build on this role." Edmonton’s current Poet Laureate is award-winning Indo-Canadian poet and artist Nisha Patel. She is the 2019 Canadian Individual Slam Champion and Edmonton Slam Champion, and a recipient of the Edmonton Artists’ Trust Fund Award. She is also the Executive Director of the Edmonton Poetry Festival. Her poetry speaks to themes of race, feminism, and identity, focusing strongly on her struggles and triumphs as a woman of colour. During her time as Poet Laureate, Nisha has served as a literary ambassador at home and across the country. She also created five-month mentorship opportunities for local artists to learn craft and writing, performance, artist management, curation, networking, and relationship-building. Nisha’s passion and dedication to issues of social and environmental justice, including the
upliftment of marginalized voices in our community has been provocative, captivating, and impactful. Her words carry strength, inspiration, and hope,” said Edmonton Arts Council Executive Director Sanjay Shahani. “We look forward to seeing how the next Poet Laureate will expand the reach of the literary arts in our city and engage Edmontonians through poetry.” “EPL is proud to champion Edmonton’s Poet Laureate program as part of our role to enrich our communities through learning, discovery and connection. Through her compelling storytelling style and focus on social justice, Nisha Patel demonstrates the power of language and its ability to engage community. We are encouraged by the abundance of talent in Edmonton’s spoken word community, and we look forward to supporting Edmonton’s next Poet Laureate.” The next Poet Laureate will serve a two-year term beginning on July 1, 2021. This is a part-time, flexible role with an annual honorarium of $10,000. Edmonton writers and poets are invited to apply for the role. The deadline for applications is 12:00 pm MST on Monday, May 3, 2021. Full details for the call and a link to apply can be found at bit.ly/EACPoetLaureate.
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Sports
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
Sedona Prince’s expose, No Pinoy basketball, volleyball but dirt bike is very much around SPORTS JOURNAL
Moses Billacura mocolumnist @albertafilipinojournal.com Moses Billacura was a sports correspondent for national newspapers in the Philippines since 1992 and served as sports editor and columnist for a community paper before moving to Canada in 2010. He loves photography, manages pinoyedmontonnews.com and strongly believes that sports development is for all.
W
e used to have a sports channel at home, but when the Edmonton Oilers kept on losing, my wife Marj, a Connor McDavid fanatic, was so fed up that she had it stopped. I can’t blame her. But it looks like the Oilers are doing well these days. The sports channel will probably be back soon. Come on Oilers! Keep on winning, please. Although, I’ve been listening to the blow-byblow coverages on 630CHED and they are doing a great job! So, no complaints, for now, LoL. *** This is the beauty of social media these days. The video post of University of Oregon forward Sedona Prince about their weight room during the NCAA Tournament went viral and exposed how they are being treated. The NCAA eventually issued an apology. Frankly, I was a bit shocked,
thinking that an incident like that won’t happen at a prestigious tournament. I mean, the internet is readily available with all social media platforms, so my thinking was that there’s someone in the NCAA management who could have foreseen this. And that incident could have been avoided. I guess, things happen for good reason. It reminds me of our campaign years ago when we were full-time sportswriters in the Philippines, that women athletes should have the same cash prize as the men. We started noticing then during interviews that the prizes allotted, normally in cash, aside from the medals and trophies, were lower for women. There were no social media then like FB, IG or Twitter (the glory days of manual typewriters and fax machines) and if it were available, for sure there would be more Sedona Princes during those times.
So far, that’s the top story for me in the March Madness. And congratulations to the men’s and women’s division champions! *** It has been a year now since the Covid-19 pandemic started. In my recent chat with Philippine Sports Association president Gary Perpetua, he said that he has been receiving messages from players asking about the resumption of the PSA League, a regular basketball tournament backed by Crosstown Auto Centre. We were waiting diligently for the reduction of cases but this is not happening, yet. With the latest rising number of Covid-19 cases, including those damn variants, there will be no PSA Leagues and even Filipino volleyball tournaments. This will be the second straight year absence. So, I hope that the vaccinations will soon be administered to all players in this province and I pray that the cases will go down.
Koch on ‘maximizing’ first Eddies sessions as coach, eyeing new signings
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he wait is finally over for Alan Koch – well, it’s one of several waits for the new FC Edmonton coach, who has been able to get his players on the pitch for the first time as gaffer ahead of the 2021 CPL season. FC Edmonton has 21 players in its pre-season training camp which was formally announced Monday (April 11), saying it has been “adhering to strict return to training protocols” in place from CPL officials and Alberta Health, the province’s health authority. The club took on a phased training approach similar to what the CPL clubs did in return-totraining routines in 2020. Starting in smaller groups, the Eddies have slowly ramped up to full training with “very, very stringent daily protocols” according to Koch who has finally been tasked with a team on the pitch since occupying the vacant head coaching position last November. “We’re making sure we’re monitoring everybody and keeping everyone safe and healthy as we progress,” Koch told CanPL.ca. “It’s definitely not the perfect environment and I doubt it’s any coach’s dream to take over a club in a pandemic… but we’re trying to build something and we’re working in a very unique situation. The different variables are moving all the time and it’s certainly not easy but it is what it is.” “The key is trying to maximize every day.” The Eddies kicked off training at the Edmonton Soccer Dome and are expected to move to Clarke Stadium, the club’s home stadium, in the coming weeks. A total of 21 players are currently in FCE training camp, including www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
ten returnees from the club’s 2020 campaign which saw a Jeff Paulus-led side finish last at the Island Games with an 0-1-6 record. The group also features a series of high-profile additions, including former CF Montreal midfielder Shamit Shome and winger Fraser Aird. Edmonton’s cohort is two shy of the maximum number of squad players CPL clubs can carry. Koch said they are keen to fill those remaining spots to get to a 23-player roster for the start of a season. “I anticipate when we start playing games we’re going to play a lot in a short amount of time,” Koch said, harkening back to the condensed Island Games. “So we’re going to need a full roster probably this year more than ever. “Will they be local players or will they be from outside? Well, we’ll assess players case-by-case because with travel challenges and getting people into our cohorts it’s definitely not that easy.” That 21 number is painfully one player shy of what’s needed for an 11-on-11 scrimmage. While smaller-sided games will suffice in the short term, Koch is eager to get proper games and, ultimately, flesh out his style of play. “Thankfully I’ve got a couple of younger assistants to take that 22nd spot – if we need to use some of them we’ll use some of them,” Koch said with a laugh, referring to Brendan Shaw. Jay Bhindi, and Lars Hirschfeld – though the latter has 48 caps for Canada as a goalkeeper, a role filled by Connor James and Darlington Murasiranwa. “We are trying to implement a little bit of a style of play… we’ll be playing intrasquad games trying to get as much as we can and create
Coach Alan Koch.(canpl.ca)
as many situations in training as we can but they’re all artificial because, at the end of the day, we need games.” Two other CPL clubs have returned to training: HFX Wanderers FC and Atlético Ottawa. Halifax began last week, while Ottawa is currently based in Spain with the club’s parent organization, Atlético de Madrid. (Canadian Premier League) ==========================
Stingers Re-Sign Hoyt
The Edmonton Stingers of the Canadian Elite Basketball League (CEBL) announced that they have re-signed George Hoyt as Assistant Coach for the 2021 season. Hoyt joined the Edmonton Stingers in the 2019 inaugural season, where he coached under Barnaby Craddock before Jermaine Small
assumed the role of head coach and general manager. While the team fell short of a championship in 2019, Hoyt helped the team achieve their championship goal in the 2020 CEBL Summer Series. “Hoyt has supported me from day one,” said Head Coach and General Manager Jermaine Small. “His genuine care for our players, connection to the community, and passion for player development has helped us build this team. Being a younger coach, I am truly fortunate to have his experience to lean on.” Hoyt has spent the last 20 years coaching in the Edmonton area. He is known as one of the most successful high school basketball coaches in Alberta’s history and has built an incredible basketball program at Harry Ainlay High School. During his tenure at Harry Ainlay, Hoyt has led the Titans to 8 City Championships, 9 4A ASAA Semifinals, and 4 4A ASAA Championships. Hoyt prides himself on individual skill development. He has spent countless hours training some of the top players in Edmonton, helping a handful of Harry Ainlay student-athletes play basketball at the post-secondary level. Hoyt’s intensity, loyalty, and commitment have allowed him to thrive at every level at which he has coached. The CEBL is preparing for its third season in 2021, following the success of the 2020 CEBL Summer Series in St. Catharines, Ont., which saw a record 1.2 million viewers across Canada tune in to four days of live programming on CBC. (Edmonton Stingers) =========================
Raptors Sign Birch
The Toronto Raptors announced, April 10, they have signed centre
In the meantime, I stick to Netflix, Amazon Prime, and 630CHED Sports to keep my sanity!* * * I’m glad to know that Chris Ayson of Wefix Auto and his friends have been busy these days with their motor bikes. Every weekend, they go out with their dirt bikes, and enjoy the trails in Vega and Brudeirheim. “We are happy to let you know that we have new members who joined,” said Chris when I visited him at his shop for his staff to fix a problem with our 10-year-old Chevrolet Cruze. If you happen to love dirt biking, follow “Dirtbike Enthusiast” on YouTube to know more about them and probably join them too. Right Gerry Taguiam? I’ll probably join you but I’ll just take some photos and videos for the paper, and that’s it, LoL. *** Dear readers, if you know of any sports event that we can feature in our sports page, let us know via email, mocolumnist@ albertafilipinojournal.com. Thank you and stay safe everyone!
Khem Birch. Per team policy, financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Birch, 6-foot-9, 230 pounds, averaged career highs of 5.3 points, 5.1 rebounds and 19.8 minutes in 48 games (five starts) with the Orlando Magic this season. He shot .450 (94-209) from the floor and scored in double figures five times, which included three double-doubles. A native of Montreal, Quebec, Birch is averaging 4.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 16.5 minutes in 188 career games (30 starts) during four seasons in Orlando (201721). After going undrafted in 2014, Birch played with Sioux Falls of the NBA G League (2014-15) and overseas in Turkey (2015-16) and Greece (2016-17) prior to signing with the Magic as a free agent in the summer of 2017. Birch played collegiately at the University of Pittsburgh (2011-12) and UNLV (2012-14) where he was named Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year back-to-back seasons. On the international stage, Birch represented Canada at the 2019 FIBA World Cup in China. He was also a member of Canada’s U-18 National Team that captured a bronze medal at the 2010 FIBA Americas Under-18 Championship. (raptors.com) ========================
Blue Jays roster moves
The Toronto Blue Jays have made the following roster moves: LHP Robbie Ray has been activated from the 10-day injured list. OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. has been activated from the COVID-related injured list. INF Santiago Espinal has been optioned to the club’s alternate training site. RHP Joel Payamps has been optioned to the club’s alternate training site.(mlb.com) continued on page 7 ►
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Opinion | Sports
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Work continues for SEAG Tippett, Oilers embracing Kulikov acquisition prep despite challenges
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(L-R, top to bottom) PSC Secretariat Head- Liza Ner, PSC PCO Head Malyn Bamba, SEAG CDM and PSC COmmissioner Mon Fernandez, Dra. Janis Ann de Vera, PSC Exec. Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, DCDM Pearl Managuelod, DCDM Atty. Al Agra, National Training Director Marc Velasco, POC Secretary General Karen Caballero.(PSC photo)
“Despite many uncertainties, the national team can be certain that we are working very hard to make sure they are prepared to defend our title,” said Southeast Asian Games Chef de Mission and Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Ramon Fernandez as he led Team Philippine’s working group meeting held Friday. Top of the agenda was training prospects of the national team as several sports face challenges on venues to hold their own safe training camps. The SEAG CDM informed the group that the PSC board is open to partnering with local government units which would be willing to “adopt” teams to train in their areas. The idea is based on the successful “bubble” training of the fencing and archery teams in Ormoc and Dumaguete respectively. National Training Director Marc Velasco said this is a good option to take since a training set-up like the one held for the Olympic-bound teams would not be feasible. “We are talking of almost a thousand athletes so putting them in one bubble would not be viable,” Velasco explained. Before the secretariat could proceed with training preparations though, an approval from the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases must be obtained. Fernandez assured that they have been working on getting this approval but have been delayed with the recent developments in rising cases. Deputies Chef de Mission Pearl Managuelod and Atty. Al Agra, Philippine Olympic Committee Secretary General Karen Caballero, PSC Doctor Janis Ann de Vera, PSC Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy, Jr., joined Fernandez and Velasco in the said meeting.(pr)
from page 3
The return of anti-Asian hate in Canada Canada. It started out as a $50 fee and increased to $500 by 1923. This created a significant financial burden to discourage Chinese from staying in Canada. • Asians (Chinese, Japanese and South Asians) in West Coast BC were banned from voting in the Provincial elections between 1895 to 1908. • In 1898, Asians were excluded from being hired in public works projects. • In 1907, Asians were targeted to be checked for the bubonic plague that hit the Western US and Canada • In 1908, the number of immigrants coming from Japan was limited to 400 per year, and then further reduced to 150. That same year, South Asians were accused of stealing “white jobs”. Anyone coming from India that was not part of the “Continuous Journey Regulation” was banned from entering Canada. • In 1914, South Asian passengers
from the ship Komagata Maru were prevented from entering Canada. They were held for two months at the dock in British Columbia and were sent back home to India where some were killed by Indian authorities upon arrival. • In 1914 in Ontario, Saskatchewan and BC, legislation was created to prevent businesses owned by Asians from hiring white women. These laws were only repealed in 1968. • During the Spanish Flu of 1918, Chinese patients were barred from a number of “white” hospitals in Montreal. • The Public School Board in Victoria, B.C. voted in 1922 to segregate Chinese students, who were sent to Chinese-only schools. • The Chinese Immigration Act, also known as the Chinese Exclusion Act that was implemented between 1923 to 1947 banned Chinese people from immigrating to Canada. The Chinese community referred to the day it was implemented as “Humiliation Day”. • At the beginning of the Second World War, over 22,000 Japanese
he National Hockey Trade Deadline has come and gone with Edmonton Oilers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Ken Holland assisting his player personnel by adding defenceman Dmitry Kulikov to the team. For members of the Orange & Blue, Holland's decision to keep the lineup intact comes as a boost of confidence. Kulikov's arrival also injects the club with veteran experience and defensive depth for the final stretch of the regular season. "He will bring a lot," Adam Larsson said Tuesday after practice at Rogers Place. "Going into a last push here before the playoffs, you need depth and he's a veteran guy that's been in the playoffs a good amount of times. He knows what it takes, is a veteran presence and you can never have too much depth when going into a playoff run." There is a possibility that the left-shooting Kulikov could line up next to Larsson when he completes his seven-day quarantine and is cleared to join the Oilers. "Whoever he comes in and plays with, I'm sure we will all support him and help him the best we can to get right into our group and know our systems," Larsson said. "I haven't really talked personally to anyone about how it's going to look moving forward." Oilers Head Coach Dave Tippett pre-scouted Kulikov
Canadians living in B.C. were forced from their homes and sent to internment camps. The Canadian government confiscated and sold their property without consent. After the war ended, many were deported. • The Immigration Act of 1952 provided powers to the Ministry of Immigration to admit and/or refuse on the grounds of nationality, ethnic group, geographical area of origin, peculiar customs, habits and modes of life. • The Chinese Adjustment Statement Program of 1960 was announced. The program included measures to curtail “illegal” entry of Chinese and to land Chinese in Canada without legal status. • In July 1999, a boat with 123 Chinese passengers arrived off the West Coast. They were met with hostility from the public. Most of the Chinese were kept in long-term detention and some were irregularly prevented from making refugee claims. These are only some of the systemic racial discriminations
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from page 6 ►
Koch on ‘maximizing’ first Eddies...
by watching his body of work with the New Jersey Devils over 38 games this season. The bench boss was impressed with the defender's ability to protect the net and stifle attackers. Tippett also sought the opinion of others around the League and liked what he heard. "You talk to people about him and they say he's a really good pro that does whatever it takes to win," Tippett said. "He plays kind of a real shutdown, penalty-killing role that I think will help our group. You can never have enough defencemen." Jujhar Khaira brushed shoulders with Kulikov over years of forechecking in the NHL, meeting the blueliner in brief encounters along the boards and in puck battles. "I've played against him the last few years when he was in Winnipeg and he's a hard player to play against. He plays the right way, plays hard and that's definitely going to help us," Khaira said. Edmonton's stretch drive will see the team compete 14 times in 28 days to close out the 2020-21 season beginning Friday at Rogers Arena against the Vancouver Canucks. Given the club's performance this year and their recent Trade Deadline addition, players are optimistic about the road ahead. "The organization didn't do a whole lot of pickups this Trade Deadline so it shows they believe in us and that's a good sign," Larsson said. "We have a big belief in this group in this locker room." (edmontonoilers.com)
against Asians in Canadian history. In 2003, during the height of the SARS or Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (a viral respiratory illness similar to COVID-19), Asians were also under attack. There was similar racial panic, and over the spring of 2003, Torontonians boycotted the Chinese community, devastating Asian-owned small businesses. In some reports during that time, Asian-owned businesses lost up to 80 percent of their income. That stigmatized Asian Canadians. The awkward silence of my community While these often violent attacks against many Asians in the United States and Canada inspire many to act and fight back, my community, the Filipino community hardly does. Many continue to be silent. Even though my community prides itself on its culture and achievements on one hand, it has also created a culture of silence in times of crisis and the belief that fighting back and rebelling are shameful acts. Our deep colonial mindset insists on ideas such as “mag-tiis na lang,
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Matsuyama wins Masters after putter change
As Hideki Matsuyama brushed in his winning putt at Augusta National on Sunday evening, the setting Georgia sun glistened off his 2012 Scotty Cameron Newport 2 Tour Prototype as he carried the wand with him off the famed Georgia course’s 18th green. While most viewers who have seen the Masters champion in action over the past two years likely assumed from the finish and shaping it was the same flatstick Matsuyama has been stroking putts with all season, Japan’s first men’s major winner actually only put this particular putter in play at the World Golf ChampionshipsDell Technologies Match Play two weeks ago. Matsuyama consulted with Scotty Cameron TOUR rep Drew Page and had a Lamkin Deep-Etched Cord Full Cord installed as well as a stepped putter shaft. And while Hideki’s exact specs are under lock and key, Page and company dialed in the same loft, lie, and head weight as the Newport 2 GSS Timeless Matsuyama has played since the 2020 BMW Championship. Sources indicate that, while testing multiple models, it was the feel of the grip, ultimately, that knocked Matsuyama’s long-time gamer out of the bag. Additionally, we’re told Matsuyama likes a “loud” putter that offers maximum feedback at impact, and the proto Newport 2 fit that bill. Clearly, the swap two weeks ago in Austin was a wise one as demonstrated by Matsuyama’s donning of the green jacket. A historically below-average putter, he finished 18th in strokes gained: putting at Augusta National. (pgatour.com)
mawawala din yan (It’s just a little suffering, it will eventually disappear)”, “tumahimik na lang tayo at Diyos na bahala (Let’s just be quiet, God will take care of us)” and the famous “Wala ba kayong utang na loob (Don’t you have a debt of gratitude?)”. Our silence and complicity with regard to white supremacy is outstanding. It reflects our internalized colonialism and the model minority (model immigrant) myth. At the anti-Asian hate rally there were a couple of young Filipinas. Perhaps this is a sign that this culture of silence will end soon. Young Filipinos and Filipinas need to break away from that colonial mentality. As a colonized people, we are used to making our colonizers happy and acting subservient. Our colonial history may shape our experiences and how we see ourselves and act even outside the Philippines. But that history does not define us. We define who we are, and we can take action. We can start by speaking up and being in solidarity with other oppressed peoples. That is how we stop being part of the problem.
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Opinion | Arts
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
Healthcare Heroes or Zeros
Alberta Nurses in Limbo, while Doctors Reject Government Offer JUST LISTEN
Nicky Gocuan, PMAA ngocuan@yahoo.com Nicky Gocuan has been a Columnist/ Photojournalist for over 15 years. He finished his Degree in Communication Arts at De La Salle University in 1990. After obtaining his University degree, Gocuan joined the Print Media and has contributed for The Philippine Star, Pilipino Star and later moved to Bagong Pinoy, where he wrote a regular opinion column. He also went on to write a showbiz column for The Tribune and Remate. Gocuan has experience in covering the Police beat, Political beat, and Entertainment beat before landing in the Sports beat. He later wrote a regular sports column for Remate Tonight. During this time, he was elected President of the Philippine Basketball Association Press Photographers Club (PBAPPC) for Two Terms and helped uplift the status of the group to become a part of the 5 Man Mythical Committee in the PBA. He is currently the President of The Philippine Media Association of Alberta (PMAA) and Host of a weekly radio program ‘The Fourth Estate” on Tala Luvz Radio in Calgary.
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t has been a very stressful year for the doctors and nurses in the Province as they help fight the Global Pandemic. People now understand who the True heroes are. Recently, the Alberta Government was able to reach a Tentative Agreement Package with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) which was sent to members to vote on. 53% of the Members of AMA rejected the Tentative Agreement with an overall voter turnout of 59%. Put simply, the AMA has rejected the Provincial Government offer. To add to the woes of the Government led by Premier Jason Kenney, it has also halted negotiations on their Collective Bargaining Agreement with the 30,000 Strong United Nurses of Alberta. In short, the Government has not solved their problems in the Health Sector. Because of this, the stress on doctors and nurses who are at the frontline of the fight is very high. This is compounding the mental fatigue and stress that doctors and nurses are already experiencing. This is why, it is very important that the Alberta Provincial Government find common ground with the AMA as well as with the UNA. It is quite understandable that the Kenney Government is trying its best to save money because of our huge deficit. But this problem is complex and is not as simple as cutting salaries and doctors’ fees. In our recent interview with United Nurses of Alberta President Heather Smith on our program
"The Fourth Estate" on Tala Luvz Radio, we asked Smith why the Government wants to cut $1.2 Billion in compensation over 2 years from nurses who are in the frontline of fighting the current pandemic. The UNA president said "it all started in 2019 with the Mackinnon report which encouraged the Government to look at massive contracting out some 11,000 healthcare jobs as well as nurses, specifically, the elimination of 500 full-time equivalence which total about 750 Registered nurses. Basically, the Government wants to change the way we deliver healthcare in the Province, bring in more Private enterprises, contracting out of jobs sort of in many ways a return to the Klein fight we had in 90's, to change the way we deliver healthcare. The Government is saying we are the highest paid. In Alberta, all across the board, wages are higher here by 15% than the rest of the Provinces. This is what I can call taxing the healthcare workers to subsidize the income problem of the Province.” She adds, “We have a 25% deficit in our budget because we cannot rely on Oil & Gas. So if the Government is cutting nurses, we must have an oversupply.” We asked the UNA President if we have a surplus of nurses in the province. "To State a fact, Alberta does not have a surplus of Registered Nurses, we have a shortage of Nurses," Smith said. The UNA President also adds, “The bottom line, Nicky, is we have a revenue problem and we can
pretend slashing the hole by cutting salaries of healthcare workers and government workers because that is just a band aid solution. We need a real solution to our economic situation. We have to recognize that we have to transition from our independence of oil and gas revenue and this Government and public sectors denial of reality.” In initial talks with UNA last January 2020, Alberta Health Services confronted them with 250 rollbacks with provisions dating 4 decades. “To some people, healthcare workers are heroes but to some Government officials they are Zeroes,” adds Smith The last time that AHS and UNA met at the bargaining table was March 2020 and there is no reason why they cannot meet virtually to talk about their differences and how they can find a common ground. Eluding the problem won't help the situation as this will add more stress on the nurses who cannot sleep properly at night knowing that they might not have a job soon. It is also good to take note that since the start of the pandemic, the mental health of our Healthcare Workers has been under attack. They are afraid of what they are exposed to or can take home to their loved ones. Too many people are dying. There are reports of some doctors taking their life because they have not seen anything like this. In this pandemic, did the Government approach UNA to offer proper mental support for the nurses suffering from Mental Stress and
Overfatigue? We asked Smith this question and she replied, “AHS did provide information on what supports was out there for Mental Wellness or Illness, it is another pandemic within the pandemic, not just Healthcare workers but affecting many. Albertans need a level of s support and I have heard nurses sit in their car to cry before they go to work, thinking about what they are going to face and sometimes leave the hospital and cry thinking of what they are unable to do to help their patients and residents.” We can go back and forth talking about the problems but if the Provincial Government is not going to talk to the Unions, how do they solve the problem? Imagine that the Government has a problem with nurses and the President of the Nurses union has not even talked to the Premier. What makes this so hard to do? What is very clear is that Finance Minister Travis Toews and Health Minister Tyler Shandro have to roll up their sleeves and find common ground with the Alberta Medical Association (AMA) and The United Nurses of Alberta (UNA). So, think about this. If indeed, nurses are paid so high in terms of the Package they receive as a whole, who is at fault and how did it happen? Which Government and party allowed it to happen? Let me know your thoughts. Email me at tfehost@gmail.com
Use of AstraZeneca vaccine paused A Glimpse of the Philippine Archipelago from Space for those under 60
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ollowing the recommendation of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Department of Health (DOH) stated that it has temporarily stopped administration of the COVID-19 vaccine produced by the BritishSwedish company, AstraZeneca to people under 60 years of age. Such direction from FDA came when a link between the coronavirus shot and a few cases of unusual blood clots with minimum platelet count was discovered by European drug regulators. FDA Director General Rolando Domingo had asked DOH for the inventory of the said vaccine and recommended not using it on people below 60 years until a clearer guidance and evidence has been obtained from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the country’s experts. For its part, the European Medicines Agency reported that www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
it has finished reviewing 62 cases of clotting in the sinuses that drain blood from the brain and 24 cases of clotting in the abdomen, with 18 of this fatal. To avoid panic, Domingo made it clear that the people who had this reaction were under 60 and they had received no report of similar adverse effects for those who were already given the vaccine. Currently, both FDA and DOH
are meticulously reviewing details related to this latest development so as to come up with proper recommendations on usage of the vaccine. Domingo also pointed out that the side effects were observed only after the first dose. Hence, if nothing out of the ordinary was felt during the first dose, there should be no problem with the second dose.
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Photo: @Astro_Soichi on Twitter
midst all the anxiety the Philippines is currently going through with its rising number of covid cases, happy news came in the form of a photograph taken from space. Soichi Noguchi, an astronaut from the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency ( JAXA), shared a rare photo of the archipelago shot from the International Space station. In his Twitter post, Noguchi described the Philippines islands as beautiful. Thrilled with the photo that clearly captured the shape of the country if we compare it to the world map, netizens reacted to Noguchi’s post with heart emojis, thanking him for such a wonderful picture. Noguchi also shared photos of other countries such as Israel, Netherlands, Ireland, France and his home country, Japan.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Philippine Consular's Update | Points of View
PHILIPPINE CONSULAR INFO SERIES
Suite 920, 517 10th Ave SW, Calgary AB, T2R 0A8 ▪ Tel: 403-455-9346; 403-455-9457
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Philippine Consulate General, Calgary www.philcongencalgary.org
Domestic Violence Discussed at PCG Calgary Webinar Calgary – Domestic violence in Canada was the focus of the webinar organized by the Philippine Consulate General (PCG) in Calgary on 19 March 2021. Entitled “Understanding Domestic Violence in the Canadian Context,” the webinar had Filipino-Canadian
lawyers talk about the aspects of domestic violence based on the criminal and family laws of Canada. Two social workers, on the other hand, spoke about ways to prevent incidences of domestic violence and the social services available for victims of domestic violence.
Give to Caesar what is due. LEGAL CHIKA
Raquel P. Getigan Earned Bachelor of Laws degree at Manila Law College and Bachelor of Arts in Psychology at Philippine Normal University. She’s an educator by profession and Apprentice at Atty. Romeo Sese Law office.
Bereavement and Tax are said to be two events that are perpetuals. The inherent power of the states, aside from Police power and Power of eminent domain, is the Power of taxation. The state is autonomous in raising revenue and to cover the necessary expenses of the government. Furthermore, here is a Lifeblood Doctrine. Taxes are the life blood of the nation. Without revenues, the government will not survive. Though, the tax brackets and the tax rates may vary and depend on the state tax law. Just Figure it Out: The Canadian tax rate and Philippine tax rate are indispensable. These are two different nations with diverse needs and circumstances.
Atty. Roselyn Bernardo discussed the forms of domestic violence under the Criminal Code of Canada. She explained what a person can do in case of abuse; what the police do in case they receive reports of domestic violence and the evidence they will look for; and what will happen to the person charged with domestic violence and the collateral consequences of a conviction. Atty. Chantal Borja, on the other hand, explained domestic violence in the context of family violence. Highlighting the provisions of the Protection Against Family Violence Act, she clarified that intentional or reckless act or omission that causes injury or property damage to a family member and even threats to a family member are both considered family violence. Forced confinement, sexual abuse and stalking are also forms of family violence. Victims of family violence can file for Emergency Protection Order (EPO) or Queen’s Bench Protection Order (QBPO). Further, she expounded on crimes under
the Amended Divorce Act and the issue of child custody in a family violence case. Ms. Francia Bodoso of the Calgary Catholic Immigration Society shared the 2019 report of the Calgary Police Service (CPS) showing that 54% of all homicides in Calgary occurred in the context of family violence and that the CPS responded to about 25,000 calls related to domestic violence that year. She added that Alberta had the third highest rate of family violence in Canada in 2019. In the same year, Filipino families in Calgary had the highest number of cases with the Children Services, with domestic violence as mostly the reason for these cases. She urged persons experiencing domestic violence to talk to people they trust; stay with their families or friends; go to women’s shelter; ask support from agencies; and, if needed, call 911. She underscored the duty of a responsible citizen, professional and parent to report incidence of domestic violence for the safety
of the concerned individuals and children. Lastly, Ms. Susan Azarcon of the Multicultural Health Brokers Cooperative of Edmonton presented a list of resources and services from the provincial and federal governments that are available for victims of domestic violence. There are also domestic violence focused organizations in Alberta and Saskatchewan providing financial, health, housing, legal and food assistance for these victims. These resources and services are given to persons depending on their immigration status in Canada. In organizing the webinar, Consul General Zaldy Patron said that it was meant to make the Filipino community more aware about domestic violence in Canada in the hope that none of the Filipinos will find themselves in situations tantamount to domestic violence – neither as a victim nor as a perpetrator. The webinar can be viewed from the PCG’s Facebook page.
Canada’s Federal Income Tax Rates for 2021 tax year: Tax Rate Tax Bracket Taxable Annual Income 15% on the first $49,020 $49,020 20.5% on the next $49,020 $49,021 up to $98,040 26% on the next $53,939 $98,041 up to $151,978 29% on the next $64,533 $151,979 up to $216,511 33% on the portion $216,512 and up over $216,511 Philippine Tax Rate 2021 onwards Annual taxable income Tax rate Tax rate 0 - 250,000php 0% Over 250,000 - 400,000php 15% of the excess over 250,000php Over 400,000 - 800,000php 22,500 + 20% of the excess over 400,000php Have you perceived the value of your revenues based on the services offered by the government? Today’s pandemic placed the government in a battlefield. We are able to gauge the political will of the administration through its strategic design to fight against Covid-19 amidst the economic constancy and accessibility of funds. All nations find themselves in the same predicament. Additionally, the government riposte to the public needs quantity, and the stability of the tax system. People are sick and there are many losing their jobs. How responsive was the administration on this matter? The public is clamoring for accessibility to Covid-19 vaccine, medical assistance, hospitalization needs, financial benefits, government precedence to sustain health protections and other things. These are nevertheless the purpose of tax for public services. Just do the right thing and be a law-abiding citizen. Be a silent hero of your country, pay your taxes devotedly and lawfully as it will save the nation and the lives of other people as well.
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Immigration Consultancy Services | Religion
FROM MIGRATION TO IMMIGRATION
What is happening to the CAREGIVER Program in Canada? Allow me to quote from Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration:
Marjorie Carmona Newman info@ mcncanadaimmigration.com 780-758-2045 Marjorie Carmona Newman is a REGULATED CANADIAN IMMIGRATION CONSULTANT based in Edmonton, Alberta. She is currently a member of CAPIC’s Policy and Lobbying Committee and previously served as Prairie Chapter representative for Canadian Association of Professional Immigration Consultants (CAPIC) in the Governance and Nomination Committee and Education Committee. A recipient of CAPIC's Members Service Award for four consecutive years (2015-2019).
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hen the Government of Canada announced changes to the Caregiver program two years ago, it was a welcome change because under the two pilots (Home Child Care Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot), caregivers are given the chance to bring their dependants with them to Canada from the outset and they are not restricted to work for one specific employer. However, to be be eligible for the pilot programs, applicants need to get their credentials assessed, they must pass the English test and qualify with the new requirement for post-secondary education. These are some of the hurdles a caregiver must go through to be able to apply for the new pilots.
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Fr. Jhack Diaz Rev. Fr. Raldy "jhack" Diaz is the first Filipino priest ordained in the Diocese of St. Paul Alberta. He is currently the Pastor of St. Jean de Brebeuf Parish, Mallaig, Alberta.
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
Home Child Care Provider Pilot and Home Support Worker Pilot The Home Child Care Provider and Home Support Worker pilots opened for applications on June 18, 2019, and will run for five years. They replaced the expiring Caring for Children and Caring for People with High Medical Needs pilots. Through these pilots, caregivers benefit from a clear transition from temporary to permanent status to ensure that once caregivers have met the work experience requirement, they can become permanent residents quickly. They also benefit from occupation-specific work permits rather than employer-specific ones, as to allow for a fast change of employers when needed. The immediate family of the caregiver may also receive open work permits and study permits to help families come to Canada together. Features of the new pilots reflect lessons learned from previous caregiver programs and test innovative approaches to addressing unique vulnerabilities and isolation associated with work in private households. How applying GBA+ helped shape changes to the Caregiver Program Caregiver immigration has taken multiple forms in recent years, including the legacy Live-in Caregiver regulatory program, two 2014 Ministerial Instruction pilots, and several initiatives in 2019: a public policy Interim Pathway for Caregivers, and the launch of two new pilots for caregivers. To support new policy directions, in 2014 a gender-based analysis was conducted for the Live-in Caregivers Program which found that, while a helpful route to permanent resident status for many women, the live-in requirement
created vulnerabilities. Caregivers were on employer-specific work permits that linked their accommodation to their work and employer, exposing them to abuse and exploitation. They were also generally isolated from their families overseas, working for years toward permanent residence without having their immediate families with them. Due to the limited number of admissions to permanent residence in any given year, a significant backlog of applications developed, leading to prolonged periods of family separation and ongoing vulnerability for the caregivers. In 2014, the Live-in Caregiver Program was closed to new applicants. Priority was given to processing the significant backlog of applications which stood at about 27,000 applications (or 62,000 persons). To address some of the vulnerabilities that caregivers faced, two new caregiver pilots were launched, without the mandatory live-in requirement – the Caring for Children Class and Caring for People with High Medical Needs Class. These pilots acted as transition pathways for foreign caregivers with Canadian work experience. Complementary changes were also made to the Temporary Foreign Worker Program so that in most cases, job offers made by Canadian families do not require the caregiver to live-in. Consultations held in 2018, as part of the 2014 Caregiver Pilots review, revealed that many caregivers arrived in Canada as temporary residents without a clear pathway to permanent residence. Caregivers continued to face prolonged family separation and experienced vulnerabilities related to in-home work and having their employment status tied to a specific employer. Responding to these findings and recognizing the significant contribution caregivers make in supporting the care needs of Canadian families, two new caregiver pilots were launched in June 2019 – the Home Child Care Provider
"Try something new" John 21:1-14
Most of the disciples of Jesus were fishermen so of course, fishing was their way of life. When Jesus called them to be "fishers of men" they stopped fishing and followed Jesus for three years. When Jesus died, however, some of them went back to their old way of working for a living and as told by today’s gospel, that is fishing. Yet, they caught nothing. Perhaps they tried all the tricks they knew but still they caught nothing. They were trying so hard and they did their best but still they caught nothing! Bokya, as we say in Filipino. Friends, there are moments in our life where we are like these disciples. We try everything but
nothing happens. We try our best to fight COVID-19 but the curve is ascending. We did our best but it seems our best is not enough and we have failed. We feel frustrated, disappointed, discouraged and we may want to give up. Maybe some of us are undergoing difficult moments in our life like moment of spiritual dryness, crisis in financial status, imbalance in our emotional state and a rough married life perhaps. Today, let us learn from the gospel, and “try something new”. Never give up. “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” Why hunt a fish in the lake if you can have it from the store? Life is short so take it
Class, and the Home Support Worker Class. These pilots are designed to provide a clear, direct pathway to permanent residence for caregivers by assessing applicants for permanent residence and admissibility requirements before they begin work in Canada. With an occupation-specific work permit, a caregiver will be able to change jobs when necessary. The pilots also remove barriers that caregivers face in bringing their families with them to Canada, by providing open work permits for spouses/common-law partners and study permits for dependent children. IRCC will monitor the outcomes of the pilots, working to identify the impacts of these program changes on caregivers and their families, including GBA+ considerations. I was hoping that these changes in the caregiver program in 2019, would reduce the backlog in the processing of caregiver permanent residence applications and thereby reduce or shorten the processing time to 12 months. This is not the case unfortunately. I have submitted several applications since the introduction of the two pilots in June 2019 and up to now, I have not received open work permits for any of my clients. According to new data obtained by Vancouver immigration lawyer, Steven Meurrens, Ottawa received a total of 13,230 permanent residence applications from foreign caregivers between January 2019 and November 2020. Out of 140, only 4 were processed and the approval rate was 74 per cent. From the applications received, IRCC has only processed 279 or less than seven percent of them. Some 69 percent of those were approved. You can just imagine the backlog, which stands at over 9,000 applications. I appreciate and understand that the processing of these applications
have been affected by COVID-19. It is my belief that the caregiver program is not a priority for this government. If you recall, IRCC invited over 27,332 candidates under the Canadian Experience Class for permanent residence thru Express Entry. IRCC reported that we are facing an aging population and lack of national child care. Considering these facts, I would expect that the Caregiver program would be a priority for this government. However, it appears this is not the case. In 2019, IRCC reported that 827,586 international students held valid study permits, 98,310 individuals were issued work permits through the Temporary Foreign Worker Program, 306,797 individuals were issued a work permit under the International Mobility Program and 341,180 were admitted as permanent residents. As it stands, it has been 18 months and applicants under the Caregiver Program are still waiting. It is my fondest desire that the Government of Canada will not ultimately abandon the Caregiver Program.
easy. Make your life beautiful, not difficult. Friends, success they say is “failing ninety-nine times and getting up on the hundredth try.” Don’t give up because great things take time. There are three points that I would like to share. First, when something in our life does not work well, never surrender. Never give up. Folks, raise your hands to God and let Him take over. Remember this: life has two rules. Rule number one is to never give up. Rule number two is to always remember rule number one. Success is a journey, not a destination. Second, when you are disappointed, do not be tempted to go back to your old ways (fishing) Try something new. The Lord wants us to grow. Start something new and fresh because life is great and amazing amidst
the failures we may encounter. Old ways won’t open new doors. When you are tired of passing through the same doors, try to go in through the window. Finally, the gospel is reminding us that the Eucharist is the best vitamin for those who are depressed and struggling. When you find yourself in moments of difficulty, come to Jesus. When you allow Jesus to come into your life, you will no longer drag your burdens and problems but instead, you will be dragging the overflowing blessings of God. He will turn your nothingness to something. He will turn your sorrow to joy. He will turn your frustration into celebration. He will turn your cross into a crown. Get ready to be blessed!
If you have questions regarding the above article you may contact Marjorie at info@mcncanadaimmigration.com Source: Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) A word of caution: You should not act or rely on the information provided in this column. It is not a legal advice. To ensure your interests are protected, retain or formally seek advice from a Regulated Canadian Immigration Consultant (RCIC) in good standing of ICCRC. The views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of RCIC’s.
Blessings Fr. Jhack
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Editor's Note | Education
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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PILIPINAS: Magiging Probinsya ng Tsina? Lito Mendoza Velasco
Ang Sikolohiya Alam na alam kase ni Presidente na mahihirapan tayong makidigma sa mga Chikwa. Kaya medyo iniba niya ang pamamaraan. Sa isip siguro niya: “Utuin ko nga ang mga singkit na ito.” At nakita n’yo naman, tuwang-tuwa ang mga Chikwa. Biglang lumaki ang kanilang mga mata ng marinig ang sinabi ng pangulo: “Gawin n’yo na nga kaming probinsya n’yo d’yan... Kung babae nga lamang ang China, niligawan ko na!”
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indi lingid sa kaalaman ng karamihan, nagtalumpati ang Pangulo ng Pilipinas sa harap ng mga negosyanteng Intsik. Aliw na aliw sila sa mga tinakay ng Pangulo. Pero, teka, baka naman reverse-psychology ang taktika ni Presidente Duterte. Maaari din naman na inuuto o nilalambing lamang ni P. Digong ang mga intsik sa pagtitipon na iyon (Baka lang ha). Hindi Mangmang ang Pangulo Brilliant din naman mag-isip ang taong yan. For the benefit of the doubt. Alam ni Digong ang taktika para ibalik sa Tsina ang Art of War nila. Wika nga: 1) Kapag lumusob ang kalaban, atras; 2) Kapag umattas ang kalaban, magpahinga; at 3) Kapag nagpahinga ang kalaban, lusob! Ito’y sapantaha ko lamang. Maaaring hindi naman talaga sila dapat tawaging kalaban. Ang Matalinong Isip ay Mapanuri at Matanong Sa ganitong kalagayan, hikayatin marahil natin na mag-analyze (magsuri o masusing mag-aral) ng medyo matindi ang ating mga kababayan gamit ang video sa facebook at youtube kung saan ko nakalap ang impormasyon na ito. Maaari nating kapanayamin o tanungin ang Duterte supporters at volunteers kung ano ba talaga ang alam nila sa sinabing ito ni Pangulong Duterte. Mas mainam na imulat nila ang mga Filipino dito sa ibayong dagat hinggil sa nasabing usapin tungkol sa Pambansang Kapayapaan at Pandaigdigang Relasyon. Ganun naman talaga, di ba? Kapag magtitinda ka ng isang produkto, nararapat lamang na talastas o kabisado mo kung ano
ang sinabi o instruksyon ng gumawa ng produkto. Ikinampanya nila ang Pangulo, nararapat lamang na kabisado nila ang nilalaman ng isip at plano ng Presidente. May uuwian pa ba tayong Bansa? Kapag nagkataon na maging probinsya na ng Tsina ang Pilipinas, ano na ang itatawag nila sa mga mamamayan doon? Ah, pwede sigurong Chilipino at Chilipina? Ang Simpleng Hamon (Challenge) Is China acting as RACIST to the Filipinos or RAISING their Flag in the Philippines? Trying to subdue the Philippine Island with Chinese people and in the end, replacing the Philippine Flag with their Flag? Who will stand as the new Dagohoy, Bonifacio, and Rizal?
Is leaving the Philippines an act of HEROISM or COWARDICE? Ang Katotohanan: Pagmumulat Anyway, hindi naman talaga natin angkin o kasarinlan ang ating Bansang sinilangan dahil maging pangalan ng Pilipinas ay hinango o hinalaw lamang sa pangalan ni King Philip II ng España. Tunay na hiniram lamang. Pero, may pero. Mas mainam na nga siguro ang ipinahiram dahil iniingatan at ibabalik din na mas maayos pa (sana) kesa sa dating ayos. Minsan kase, kapag pagaari na natin ang isang bagay, inilalagay na lamang natin kung saan-saan, nakakalimutan na nating INGATAN.
Ang Benipisyo o Pakinabang Sa kabilang banda, okay din naman sila. Bakit? Dahil sa kanila, cheaper ang mga bilihin sapagkat cheapest ang kanilang labor. Dahil sa kanila, may pinag-uusapan tayo. Ang maganda
sa kanila, hindi sila hayagan kung pumatay ng tao. Bakit? Kaya naman siguro nilang bumayad ng hitman. Isa pa, hindi nila balak ubusin ang tao sa mundo. Kapag inubos kase nila ang ibang lahi, sino ang bibili ng kanilang paninda? Negosyo lang naman talaga ang habol nila. Nagkakaisa sila para magkamal ng limpak-limpak na pera. At, ito ang isang bagay na nakaakit sa pansin ng Pangulo. Hindi na maghihirap ang Pilipinas kapag nagpasakop sa Tsina. Kabayan, ano sa palagay mo? Hintayin ko ang kasagutan mo sa susunod na issue (May 2021 issue). Email: albertafilipinojournal16@gmail.com
Balak mo pa bang bumalik sa Pilipinas: Sa anong kadahilanan? Have we left the Philippines in the hope that by the time we achieved a better life here in Canada; then, we will do our best to save them from poverty and modern slavery or totally relinquishing our citizenship and love of our Country, the Philippines?
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Community | Legal Matters
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
PBSA keeps going, going, going on By Moses Billacura
J PBSA president Bayani Alcantara presided over a meeting in October last year. (PBSA photo)
ust like everyone else, the Covid-19 pandemic has hit members of the Philippine Business Society of Alberta, and yet it has continued to be resilient, one year has passed, and they have kept going on and on. PBSA president Bayani Alcantara and their members have been active last year, accomplishing 80% of their action plan, despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic. PBSA mobilized its limited resources and answered the call in aiding “kababayan” Cargill meat plant workers by contributing more than $6,000 worth of food and grocery items, raising more than $5,000 to help in the typhoon relief operations that hit the Philippines last year through the Canadian Red Cross and organizing a Christmas Hamper Project to bring some joy to employees of PBSA members. Monthly meetings were organized for them to connect with city, provincial and federal officials including the Philippine Consulate General’s Office Calgary and Alberta Health Services. “Definitely the Covid-19 has affected all businesses, especially the food industry,“ said Alcantara. “Most of our members are satisfied with assistance from the government while some have really struggled to make ends meet”. This year, Alcantara said they have a “Bayanihan” action plan for their members to alleviate their conditions. “Internally we have made great effort in structuring our finance matters to provide more stability,” he said. He added that they are reiterating their commitment to implement best business practices and adapt to the current conditions as they continue to face challenges. “We need to reconfirm our commitments to the mission and vision. In doing this, I would like to invite our members and potential members to be active and engaged in, participating, and joining some key positions in our organization. Our growth depends on the value we share to each other and to the community. Our new and emerging priorities will allow us to respond to the immediate needs of the people we serve while at the same time enabling us to drive a big picture change at the system level,” Alcantara said in his report to members.
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Para-legal Services | Opinion
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AFJ Observes Tradition of Faith
Good Friday. AFJ publisher, Jun Angeles, with some of his friends at Ephphatha during the traditional commemoration of Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection in order to fervently pray for world peace, healing of the sick, and the fast recovery of those who have been afflicted by the horrific pandemic, the morbid Covid-19.
From left: DJ Rolan Latorre of Himig Pinoy-Edmonton, Jose “Jun” Angeles-AFJ Publisher, Abel Cereno (Photos by Lito Velasco)
HUWAG PAGTAKHAN! (“DON’T MARVEL at MR. MARVEL”)
HERMO’s LIFE’s MISSING GUIDEBOOK Series!
Let’s leave NOTHING for LATER. THE MOMENT is NOW. DO things NOW BEFORE it is TOO Late! I did not write this - but WOW does it speak to my heart! Worth the read.
Hermo Toribio Reyes Pagtakhan hermopagtakhanlaw@ hotmail.com Cell: (780) 905-9288 Hermo Toribio Reyes Pagtakhan of Edmonton, Alberta is a Lawyer who had practised for more than 25 years in the Philippines and in Alberta and thereafter, was an Index Options Trader in Wall Street. He is currently a Family Counselor with Arbor Memorial Gardens whom he joined in 2013. Hermo is also President of PROXSMART GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES and of NOTIFY GLOBAL TECHNOLOGIES which develop Mobile Apps for Digital Marketing and Contactless Technologies which enable Businesses to operate their businesses and at the same time keep their Employees and Clients safe from Covid19 Contamination.
Barely the day started and...it's already six in the evening. Barely arrived on Monday and it's already Friday. ... and the month is already over. ... and the year is almost over. ... and already 40, 50 or 60 years of our lives have passed. ... and we realize that we lost our parents, our friends. ...and we realize it's too late to go back. So, let's try, despite everything, to enjoy the remaining time we have. Let's keep looking for activities that we like. Let's put some color in our grey. Let's smile at the little things in life that put a balm on our hearts. And despite everything, we must continue to enjoy with serenity this time we have left. Let's try to eliminate the afters.
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I'm doing it after... I'll say after... I'll think about it after... We leave everything for later as if ′′after′′ is ours. Because what we don't understand is that: Afterwards, the coffee gets cold... Afterwards, priorities change... Afterwards, the charm is broken... Afterwards, health passes... Afterwards, the kids grow up... Afterwards, parents grow old...
THE MOMENT IS NOW & MAKE IT PERFECT
Afterwards, promises are forgotten... Afterwards, the day becomes the night... Afterwards, life ends... And then it's often too late. So, let's leave nothing for later. Because while waiting, we can lose the best moments, the best experiences, best friends, the best family. The day is today. The moment is now.
ART OF LIFE & GOD
We are no longer at the age where we can afford to postpone what needs to be done right away. So let's see if you have time to read this message and then share it. Or maybe you'll just leave it for...′′later".
IF NOT NOW THEN WHEN
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Religion | Cooking Tips | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
The Right Attitudes To Blessedness Matthew 5:1-12 OUR TEXT 1 “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: 2 And he opened his mouth, and taught them, saying, 3 Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4 Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5 Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6 Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7 Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8 Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9 Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. 12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.” Matthew 5:1-12 INTRODUCTION Our Lord Jesus Christ begins His teaching with blessings, for He came into the world to bless us (Acts 3:26). For He is the Great High Priests of our profession—as the blessed Melchizedec—in Him all the people of the earth should be blessed (Genesis 12:3). He came not
FROM A VANTAGE POINT
Tito S.Venida FOUNDING FATHER
Tito S. Venida is a product of the University of the Philippines. He used to be a student-leader during his college days and became one of the founders of the Tau Gamna Phi, one of the world leading Philippine-produced fraternities. His immensurable love for the human race has brought him to the conviction of translating his mission from fraternity into Divinity-from a mere brotherhood into sainthood. Tito authored a book entitled Quocunque Jeceris Stabit, which means, wherever you throw, it will stand.
only to purchase blessings for us, but to pour out and pronounce blessings on us. In this passage, He does it as one having all authority—as one that can command the blessing, even life forever more. That is the blessing here again and again promised to the godly: His pronouncing them happy makes them so. For those whom He blesses are blessed indeed. THE SETTING v. 1-2 “And seeing the multitudes, he went up into a mountain: and when he was set, his disciples came unto him: and he opened his mouth, and taught them saying,”
The mountain where the Lord went up into to teach the Eight Beatitudes is not named. According to most Bible scholars it was on a high hill on the northwest shore of the Sea of Galilee, which served as a natural amphitheatre. The multitudes, which are the recipients of this teaching, were steeped in Hebrew tradition. That is the reason why here we can see the simplicity, the clarity, the uniqueness, and the innovativeness of the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ. The message of our Lord is one of humility, charity, and brotherly love. He also teaches the importance of the transformation of the inner person. The Beatitudes are presented in a positive sense and virtues in life will ultimately lead to reward. Love becomes the motivation for the Christian. All of the Beatitudes have an eschatological meaning, that is, they promise us salvation—not in this world, but in the next. The Beatitudes initiate one of the main themes of Matthew’s Gospel—that the Kingdom so long awaited in the Old Testament is not of this world, but of the next, the Kingdom of Heaven.
While the Beatitudes of our Lord Jesus Christ provide a way of life that promises salvation, they also provide peace in the midst of our trials and tribulations here on earth. An early contemplation on the Beatitudes came from St. Gregory of Nyssa, a mystic who lived in Cappadocia in Asia Minor around 380 A.D. He described the Beatitudes this way: “Beatitude is a possession of all things held to be good, from which nothing is absent that a good desire, may want. Perhaps the meaning of beatitude may become clearer to us if it is compared with its opposite. Now the opposite of beatitude is misery. Misery means being afflicted unwillingly with painful sufferings.”
Flavorful Roasted Chicken Tinola KUSINA DIARIES
Leonila Samarita samleonila@gmail.com Leonila learned to take life in stride after realizing that life truly is what we make it. She believes that life, in every moment, brings opportunities for us to be better or do better. She is grateful. Finds joy in everything she does. She loves her life.
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bout once a week, I normally cook something with sabaw. It is kind of a ritual for me and is something I constantly crave. Having that hot soup with some vegetables makes me feel good, especially during a cold night. It is comfort food. On a busy day a few weeks ago, I was craving tinola. I always want to use fresh chicken to cook that dish, but I didn’t feel like
going out to the store to buy some. I opened my fridge and was delighted to see leftover roasted chicken that I had the other day. An idea popped into my mind. With other ingredients available in my fridge, I thought “It should work.” I never used store-bought roasted chicken for my tinola before, but I normally brown my chicken in the oven or in the pan prior to sauteing and adding other ingredients. So, that roasted chicken should fit the bill. While cooking it, I realized that it is even better to use because it is already well seasoned to the bones. And hey, less messy. All you need to do is cut the meat into pieces, which is also easier to do than handling the raw chicken. No smell and definitely no contaminants to worry about. It takes less time to cook the whole dish too. You only need to cook the vegetables and put the chicken halfway through and there you have it, a delicious tinola in no time. Something I wonder about, is why whole roasted chicken is cheaper than the raw ones here in Canada. They are always available at every supermarket, every day. Talk about convenience. What about the taste of the finished
dish? You should try it to see for yourself. I recently discovered Walmart’s herbed garlic roasted chicken. That’s what I used the first time I cooked this and it was perfect. The garlic and rosemary flavors in their chicken work well with my ingredients. You don’t have to buy from Walmart or find that specific flavor. Just make sure to pick the ones that are not covered in sauces or have flavors that you think might alter the taste of the dish. I always cook my tinola with lemongrass. It is a must for me. It makes a difference in the soup. The mild flavor and aroma of the grass blends well with ginger and it lifts the flavor of the soup, making it special. Just imagining it makes me want to have some right now. I also prefer to add a bit of heat to the dish so a piece or two of finger chilies would complete it and makes me even happier. Ha-ha! I normally put ¼ cup of hot rice in a bowl and add as much soup, vegetables, and chicken to it. That’s my happy meal. I can go back for more servings if I want to. No guilt. It is healthy and not heavy with calories that are common in other nonFilipino soups.
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City Government's Update
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s u b r e u g Yo s chan e t u o r
25 r u o y ! n w Pla rips no t w e n
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The new network has many benefits • Buses come more often • More service during evenings and weekends • Straighter routes with more direct service • Community routes to connect you with nearby services Use the transit trip planner or download new route brochures at edmonton.ca/NewBusRoutes to see how your transit trips are changing.
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Points of View | Education
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
Trailblazing and Smashing Ceilings – The Journey of a First-Time Elections Candidate GENERAL POINT OF VIEW
Giselle General gqgeneral@gmail.com Giselle General came from the cold, mountainous region on the Benguet province, and immigrated to Canada as a teenager in 2007. She completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Alberta, and has a career in the nonprofit sector. She works at the Edmonton Community Legal Centre, which provides free legal help to low-income Edmontonians. She channels her creativity by writing in her personal blog, FilipinaYEG, and self-published a book called The Humanity of Me, and is active in numerous volunteer-based initiatives.
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his election candidacy is a journey five years in the making. Here is a reflection on my experiences as of this date as someone running for the first time. A main challenge is informing people on different topics. There are many issues that affect our daily lives, and it can be difficult to remember which level of government is responsible. On top of that, there are issues that are a shared responsibility between the municipal, provincial and federal government. So it is important for me, my campaign team, and other candidates to be informed and patient when discussing with others. The electoral district boundaries not only changed in composition, but the names have also changed from numbers to Indigenous names. I think the names are beautiful and meaningful, but many are frustrated and unwilling to learn. I can personally attest that all it takes is practice, just like learning Asian geography back in high school. After a few rounds of practice, I can confidently say without missing a beat that “I am running for city councillor for West Edmonton, the ward of sipiwiyiniwak!” Those in ward Dene and O-day’min will have an easier time, while those in ward Ipiihkoohkanipiaohtsi will need to practice a few more times.
I found out that apartments and condo buildings are usually ignored by campaign teams. I found this shocking and unacceptable! Because most apartment buildings are rentals, this means that many people who are not homeowners and from lower economic background are not given the same opportunity by election candidates to share their thoughts about political matters. No wonder the voter turnout in municipal elections is only 30%. Like a spark that ignited in me, I felt a fierce sense of determination to go against the tide and find ways to connect with people living in higher-density places. I hope that landlords and building managers will cooperate with my campaign
LINGAP-Canada announces its Living Book feature for April 2021 "Living Book" Tala Kamea Berkes LIVING BOOK is a LINGAPCanada webinar series featuring stories and conversations on aspects of the lives of Filipino-Canadians. This month we feature Tala Kamea Berkes, a promising young artist who has found music and fashion inspirational mediums for revisiting her roots, promoting the arts, while engaging in social responsibility.
Time & Location April 25, 2021, 5:30 p.m. MST Register for this event. Visit https://www.lingapcanada. com/activities Zoom Webinar
About the Event Tala Kamea Berkes will share her story, where at an early age, in addition to formal schooling, her life revolved around music and dance, learning ballet, tap and modern dance at the Edmonton School of Ballet. In her teens, she joined several musical theatre groups in Edmonton, which helped her learn more about and connect with her Filipino roots. Volunteering at Changing Together – A Center for Immigrant Women, she wrote scripts and directed some of the Ajoka Theatre productions that touched on tough issues like Mail Order Brides and Human Trafficking for the purpose of sexual exploitation. She also directed and choreographed some local productions at the International Fringe Festival in Edmonton. Tala moved to Toronto to study fashion design where she won the inaugural Elle Canada Fashion Graduate Award in 2012. She has worked for a number of designers in Toronto, while creating her own brand, TALA KAMEA. Her fashion focus is on producing locally, ethically, and sustainably - often reworking clothing and using second-hand materials. Tala will give us an
insight into the highly competitive, labour-intensive, and challenging world of fashion while maintaining a socially-responsible approach to clothing that is sustainable, ethical and has the least impact on the environment.
team so we can engage with residents effectively and safely. Harsh but true advice I received was “you need a lot of money”. And I don’t have a lot. I feel motivated to find creative ways to compensate for the shortage of money, and fun ways to raise money and support. From virtual dance-a-thons as a fundraiser, using social media for marketing instead of spending money on billboards, and asking volunteers to drop off brochures instead of paying Canada Post thousands of dollars, the ideas seem to be endless. Necessity is the mother of invention as they say, and I’m excited to find innovative ways to connect with potential voters and supporters. I hope that I get hundreds perform at the International Fringe Festival in Manila. Tala graduated from the University of Alberta in 2006 with a BCom in Marketing, and moved to Toronto in 2008 to study fashion design. She received her MA in Fashion Design in 2012 from Ryerson University, where she won the inaugural Elle Canada Fashion Graduate Award. She works in costume
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of volunteers from all walks of life, and that even those who cannot vote yet, the newcomers and under 18 years old, will feel inclined to join the campaign team as well. The election day is in October, and given how time feels like it is slipping through our fingers, it will be here before we even realize it. All the spare time I have, between breakfast and starting work, between dinner and bedtime, between laundry and cooking on the weekends, are occupied by the seemingly endless tasks to gain more resources, from recruiting volunteers, to ensuring we consult with people with different perspectives. Door-knocking officially starts in May and I’m eagerly looking at the calendar, counting down the time. I am excited to be transformed by this experience. I suppose that turning 30 years old this year also highlights the significance of this adventure. I’d love to win of course, but it is more that that. My hope is that I am just one of the many people from under-represented backgrounds, of the women, the young adults, the migrants and the Filipinos who will take the leap and throw their name in an election race. I hope that my experience can serve as inspiration and a resource guide in navigating an election candidacy that appropriately considers the complications that arise from our lived experiences. If I don’t end up being that trailblazer, I hope that someone else does not too long after I run. design for film and television and has recently been nominated for a CAFTCAD (Canadian Alliance for Film and Television Costume Arts and Design) award. In addition to writing and producing electronic music since 2017, she creates largely original songs, but has also covered a few obscure indie bands, as well as a Tagalog song by Celeste Legaspi.
Tala’s Bio Tala Kamea Berkes was born in Edmonton, Alberta - the only daughter of a Filipino mother and a Hungarian father, growing up with 3 brothers. She attended the Suzuki Elementary school, which focused on French and music and where she learned to play the violin. She joined a musical theatre group (Musicalmania!), and three Filipino cultural groups during her teenage years - The Karilagan Dance Society, The Vismin Association of Edmonton, and the Filipino-Canadian Saranay Association of Alberta. Through these groups she learned and connected more with her Filipino roots, travelling twice to the Philippines to perform with the Saranay Youth Rondalla and to participate in a cultural exchange. She also briefly joined and performed with one of Toronto’s truly innovative and inspiring Filipino Dance Groups – Hataw. In 2018 she returned to the Philippines to
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Immigration Tips | Business
The Great Canadian Recovery THE IMMIGRATION GUY
Stephen Burry Stephen Burry is the Lead Consultant and owner of Freedom Migrate Immigration Solutions Limited, an immigration consultancy firm based in Calgary, Alberta. Stephen is licensed with the Immigration Consultants of Canada RegulatoryCouncil (ICCRC). He can be reached at 403-520-2277 or call/text at 587-938-3100. Email: freedommigrate@gmail. comWebsite: www.freedommigrate.ca
reality is that political operatives use immigration as the ultimate scare tactic to discourage diversity and put a dampener on efforts to promote Canada as an inclusive place for like-minded people around the world. The political struggle on immigration has mostly been fought on partisan grounds, with a right-leaning attitude that immigration is generally bad, and a left-leaning persuasion that immigration is generally good and productive. In our post-COVID world, we need to dispel the partisanship and put immigration policy above the politics. It will be our job to push out the political opportunistic agenda and promote an agenda grounded in reality and truths. Immigrants who come to Canada are highly productive and essential to our economic survival! Conservatives and liberals alike should embrace sustained levels of immigration and promote it as one of our largest weapons against economic stagnation and decline. In fact, former conservative
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
We need more Canadians and we are not making them fast enough! Our COVID recovery must include a strong immigration policy. We need more people with more skills having more babies. We need to use this pandemic as our springboard to rejuvenate and expand the Canadian family and prepare us for the next decade and beyond. Our The Great Canadian Recovery & Immigration great Canadian recovery depends on it! We must think about immigration in the context of our greater economic survival. We Resources: have the highest foreign-born population https://www.rbcwealthmanagement. among the G7 nations. Our very survival com/ca/en/research-insights/navigatingrelies on our ability to attract highly the-2020s-how-canada-can-thrive-inqualified like-minded people who share a-decade-of-change/detail/ our principles and values as a society. Our competitiveness in the global marketplace https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/rbcdepends on how many buyers and sellers report-says-immigration-slowdownwe have in our local economy to produce due-to-covid-19-threatens-canadianexports and absorb imports. Simply put: economy-1.5072249 Prime Minister Brian Mulroney recently spoke at a forum hosted by the Globe and Mail and an organization called Century Initiative where he called for an increase to the Canadian population by 100 million people by 2100! Changing political and social attitudes will be key to ensuring we survive long term.
The Great Decline Canadian immigration in the second quarter of 2020 haddropped 67% over the previous period the year prior. New permanent residency applications were down a staggering 80%in 2020. To put a real-life visual on that percentage, imagine 6 out of 10 people disappearing! Sharp declines in all areas of Canadian society and an ever-declining economy where there are less people selling goods and services, and less people to buy-consume those goods and services. Sustaining such a decline in immigration over a long period of time would spelleconomic disaster for Canada. Debt-deficit-decline. As we recover from this pandemic, we saw a net drop in immigration for the entire 2020 year of about 30%. However, the government has begun to react and adapt. In 2021, we saw the largest in-Canada draw for permanent residency in Canadian history! I wrote about that last month. Canada is skipping beats in their clip pace to meet a 400,000 permanent resident goal by the end of 2021. Expect more draws and more innovative pathways to attract in-Canada applicants to become permanent residents. Observers – and participants in the system like lawyers, consultants and applicants are hoping the Canadian government has the resources to step up its game and process larger groups of applicants as these new programs are rolled out. The Super-aged Society The 2020s will be the great retirement decade. A recent report by the Royal Bank of Canada coins Canada in the 2020s transiting to be among the world’s “super-aged societies”. Almost 10 million baby boomers will leave the labour force by the end of this decade. That accounts for one in every four Canadians, or almost 25% of the entire Canadian population. That means the rest of us will have to shoulder a much larger financial burden on society. Higher cost of goods and services, higher tax rates to sustain pension funds and healthcare services, and decaying consumer markets with less buyers and sellers. We need more taxpayers to share in the increased burden of a super-aged society. More Canadian Babies! The frightening reality is that born Canadians are not having enough babies to fill the void. Our birth rate has been steadily declining since the baby boomer birth age ended in the mid 60s. We now see a consistent decline in our birth rate that hovers around one percent year over year. We need new Canadians who pay taxes, buy goods and services, start businesses, and create more Canadians. Scare Politics With that thought in mind, you would think most Canadians would embrace immigration and demand that the government increase our intake numbers. Sadly, politics can get in the way. Our www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
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Heroism | Business
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
FRONTLINER ISA KANG BAYANI (YOU’RE A HERO)
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This column aims to recognize and appreciate everyone’s heroism when facing the challenges of life with courage and equanimity. Our society truly needs virtuous people like you. Indeed, we can speak of the truth, though, it may be hard; but we can soften it with kindness.”A grand salute to our heroes!
Anna De Leon - Frontliner
Darwin Cano, the owner of La Formaggio Pizzeria poses and serves delicious Pizza to Editor Lito (Frontliners)
Anna De Leon, Owner of Hawaiian Poke Restaurant serving the publisher of AFJ, Jun Angeles (Frontliners)
Publisher Jun Angeles enjoys the dinner being served by Darwin Cano, the owner of La Formaggio Pizzeria at 9156 23 Avenue, NW, Edmonton, Alberta (Frontliners)
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Lifestyle | Business
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
Spring is Here: Engage in Leisure & Recreation!
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ith the spring season here and warm weather in sight, I am hoping to share some ways to embrace Alberta living amidst this continuous pandemic! We only get a few warm months a year so let’s get out there and enjoy it! Just a few weeks ago, many golf courses and driving ranges across Alberta began to open for the season, which has generated excitement for the golf industry in terms of the return of avid golfers and beginners. With the ongoing restrictions surrounding team sports, a round at the golf course is a great way to get your steps in and continue to keep a safe distance from others while safely engaging in socialization! Be on the lookout for any course deals such as twilight and early bird specials at a course near you, as we all know that golf can get costly. An evening at the driving range is also another lowcost alternative to enjoy the game and hone in on all your clubs in the bag! Another way to welcome spring and summer over the next few months is by exploring the beauty of our backyard in Alberta! Living in Alberta, we have the luxury of being only three to four hours away from Banff, Jasper, Canmore, Lake Louise, and the hundreds of hikes these locations have to
JAN THE MAN’S NOTE
Januel Cedrick Ibasco Januel Cedrick Ibasco is a proud Filipino-Canadian who is currently a student at the University of Alberta and is studying to obtain a Bachelor of Arts in Recreation, Sport, and Tourism in the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation. Sportsmanship is a big slice of his cake. He is highly-spirited when playing golf, volleyball, and basketball and loves reading, writing and volunteering at church. Jan looks forward to taking up law after his undergraduate degree.
Lastly, if you like staying in the city, there are plenty of parks and open spaces in Edmonton for you to use and become more active! Perhaps you fancy going for a run in the River Valley? Or a game of offer from easy, intermediate, to Spikeball with friends in Hawrelak difficult leveled hikes. If you are Park? What about a bike ride looking to stay overnight at these through Gold Bar Park? What ever dream-getaway destinations but you decide to do during your leisure want to save some money, I would time this spring and summer, I hope recommend booking campsites it is in the outdoors as it keeps you through the Alberta Parks website active, and allows you to embrace and Parks Canada website. Hurry, the beautiful recreational offerings before they fill up to capacity! Alberta has!
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Mas maraming tulong sa pagbawi ng COVID para sa maliliit na negosyo ng Alberta Ang gobyerno ng Alberta ay pinapalawak ang paglunsad ng grant sa mga maliliit na negosyo upang maglagay ng mas maraming pera sa mga tagalikha ng trabaho kapag kailangan nila ito upang makaligtas hanggang matapos ang COVID-19 pandemya. Nag-aalok ang gobyerno ng Alberta sa maliliit na negosyong apektado ng pinakabagong mga utos sa pangkalusugan ng publiko ng isa pang pagbabayad na hanggang $ 10,000 mula sa Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant. Ang mga negosyo sa Alberta na apektado ng pinakabagong mga utos sa pangkalusugan ng publiko ay magiging karapat-dapat na magaplay para sa isa pang pagbabayad sa pangalawang kalahati ng Abril. Magagamit din ang karagdagang bayad na ito sa mga bagong negosyo na nagsimulang mag-operate sa pagitan ng Marso 1, 2020 at Marso 31, 2021, pati na rin mga hotel, taxi at sasakyan na may serbisyo sa pagbabahagi.
Ang relaunch grant program ay mayroon nang halos 50,000 na mga aplikante, na may kabuuang gastos sa programa na higit sa $ 500 milyon. Sa pinakabagong paglawak na ito, ang maliliit na negosyo na kwalipikado para sa lahat ng tatlong pag-ikot ay makakatanggap ng hanggang $ 30,000. Ang Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant (SMERG) ay nagaalok ng tulong pinansyal sa mga negosyo sa Alberta, kooperatiba at mga organisasyong hindi kumikita na may mas kaunti sa 500 empleyado na nahaharap sa mga paghihigpit o pagsasara dahil sa mga utos sa kalusugan ng publiko na nauugnay sa COVID, at nakaranas ng pagkalugi sa kita sa hindi bababa sa 30 porsyento. Maaaring magamit ang mga pondo upang: • Sakupin ang mga gastos sa mga bagay na makakatulong na maiwasan ang pagkalat ng COVID-19, tulad ng mga pansariling kagamitan sa pagprotekta at mga kagamitan sa paglilinis.
maliliit na negosyo sa pamamagitan ng Small and Medium Enterprise Relaunch Grant. • Ang gobyerno ng Alberta ay • Magbayad ng upa, sahod ng • Ang mga aplikasyon nagbigay ng bilyun-bilyong dolyar empleyado o palitan ang imbentaryo. para sa karagdagang $ 10,000 na mga suporta sa mga tagalikha • Tulungan ang mga negosyo na pagbabayad ay magbubukas ng trabaho mula nang magsimula na palawakin ang kanilang presenya sa pangalawang kalahati ng Abril ang COVID-19 pandemya, kasama sa online o mga oportunidad sa para sa anumang samahan na ang: o Pagpaliban sa koleksyon ng e-commerce upang patuloy silang nakakatugon sa pamantayan sa buwis sa kita ng kumpanya sa loob makapaglingkod sa mga customer. pagiging karapat-dapat. Ang programa ay naka-iskedyul o Ang mga application na ng anim na buwan, na nagbibigay na bukas para sa mga aplikasyon natanggap bago ang nakaraang ng $ 1.5 bilyon na kaluwagan. o Pagpapaliban sa mga buwis hanggang Mayo 31 at pinakamalaking pagsasara ng programa sa Marso halaga na $ 350 milyon. 31 ay magpapatuloy na maiproseso. sa pag-aari ng edukasyon at panatiliin Ang na-update na programa o Ang mga kumpanya na ang rate sa mga antas ng 2019. o Pagpaliban sa mga premium ng SMERG ay papalitan ang dating hindi nag-apply sa ilalim ng unang inihayag na Enhanced COVID-19 pagpapatakbo ng SMERG ay hindi ng WCB at pagbabayad ng 50 Business Benefit at magbibigay ng maaaring mag-apply para sa paunang porsyento sa mga ito para sa maliliit pondo sa mas maraming mga negosyo pagbabayad - ang bagong $ 10,000 at katamtamang mga negosyo, at nakatipid sila ng $ 350 milyon. na nahaharap sa mas mataas na mga na pagbabayad lamang. o Pagbibigay ng isang 90hakbang sa kalusugan ng publiko o Ang natanggap na pera sa tulad ng inihayag noong Abril 6. ilalim ng SMERG ay hindi kailangang araw na pagpapaliban para sa mga pagbabayad ng utility noong Ang gobyerno ng Alberta ay bayaran. tumutugon sa COVID-19 pandemya • Ang maliliit at katamtamang nakaraang tagsibol. o Pagbawal sa komersiyal sa pamamagitan ng pagprotekta sa mga negosyo ay isang mahalagang mga buhay at kabuhayan na may bahagi ng ekonomiya ng Alberta, na na pagpapatalsik, pagtaas ng renta tumpak na mga hakbang upang nagtatala ng higit sa 99 porsyento at nahuling pagbayad ng mga mabaluktot ang kurba, mapanatili ang ng lahat ng mga negosyo at halos nangungupahan sa komersyo. • Ang mga karagdagang maliliit na negosyo at protektahan 55 porsyento ng lahat ng trabaho. ang sistema ng pangangalaga ng • Nitong Abril 6, ang gobyerno suporta para sa mga negosyo ay kalusugan ng Alberta. ng Alberta ay nagkaloob ng higit makukuha sa pamamagitan ng Mabilis na katotohanan sa $ 451 milyon sa higit sa 39,000 federal government.
No vaccine for stupidity VIEWPOINT
What Covid has taught us is that our individual decisions and actions directly affects our loved ones, our neighbors, and even strangers. Sadly,
this is a lesson that some people have missed, either by chance or by choice. There are vaccines for the virus; there is none for stupidity. Unfortunately, stupidity is turning out to be COVID-19’s best buddy nowadays.
Bing J. Jaleco bingjaleco@yahoo.com Raleigh “Bing” Jaleco was a veteran journalist and public relations consultant in the Philippines. He started out as a correspondent for Ang Pahayagang Malaya and then moved on to be a reporter, and then an editor, of The Manila Chronicle. He also served as news editor of The Manila Standard, business editor of The Manila Times, and sub-editor at the Manila Bulletin. He landed as a permanent resident in Canada in 2016.
SO it has been a year since COVID-19 emerged. Two million eight hundred sixty deaths since then, the world is slowly crawling to the end line after pharmaceutical companies unveiled their Covid vaccines. But has the world learned its lessons? Have we learned to live with the virus? Sadly we have not, at least not yet. With 132 million recorded cases worldwide since January 2020, COVID-19 has changed life as we knew it. It has transformed society, and forced us to rewrite the rules that governed our lives. And yet it would seem that many have yet to learn the lessons of life in a pandemic world.
As governments continue to roll out their vaccination programs, our collective sense of hope that we are finally moving forward in fighting the virus is tempered by news reports of people continuing to ignore health protocols. Salons converted into party venues after sundown, communities rejecting rules on indoor social gatherings, or a church that stands defiant in the face of the growing threat of community transmission, are examples of how a few people can hinder the collective goal of ending the pandemic. As the saying goes, there is no cure for stupidity. After the world racked up 2.86 million deaths worldwide—24,141 in Canada and 2,001 in Alberta—we still hear people scream “Covid is a hoax!” We still hear people argue that lockdowns impede on their rights, and that policies of closing down businesses temporarily are a sign of weakness, not strength. We can debate and argue over government policies that were drawn up to address Covid concerns. Ottawa’s vaccine rollout plan had hit some speed bumps along the way, and perhaps we can debate and argue over that as well. We can live with the finger-pointing in Parliament and in provincial legislatures across Canada; I suppose that is par for the course. But at the end of the day, how we solve the problem that is Covid, and how best we can navigate through the pandemic and stay alive for the day when we will all be safe and immune to the virus, is not up to governments. It is up to us as individuals, or as citizens of the state.
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Education | Alberta Government's Update
ENGINEER IN ACTION
Does My Master’s Degree Outside of Canada Matter for my Professional Engineering Recognition?
I Mervin Cereno, P. Eng. mmcereno@gmail.com Mervin Cereno is a Filipino immigrant in Canada. A FilipinoCanadian Engineer license to practice Engineering in Alberta. He is employed in one of the most sought Engineering Consulting Firm based in Edmonton as a Structural Engineer that designs small to medium-rise commercial and multi-family buildings. He is a Volunteer and Advocates to help Filipino-Canadian Engineers to pursue their Professional Engineering License in Canada. For advice on a specific case in pursuing your application whether in ASET or APEGA, please email me at mmcereno@gmail.com.
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
n my March 2021 article, I discussed why Internationally Educated Engineers with more than a decade of experience under their belt have to undergo a complicated licensing process in Canada to eventually practice their Profession. The expectations of finding a job in Canada in the same field as a Professional Engineer in your home country are near to impossible without undergoing the recognition process of your credentials. Your engineering experience outside of Canada can be partially recognized. An in-place procedure must be written and submitted to the Regulating Body about your engineering experience so that they have the basis of their evaluation process. Now, another question was emailed to me. “I have my Master’s Degree from a University in Europe, and that prestigious University has
the credibility that some Canadian Universities look up with regards to Engineering Research. Why then, is the Regulating Body requiring me to take the Fundamentals of Engineering Exam?” Does the Regulating Body not recognize a Master’s Degree from a European University? Having a Post Graduate Diploma from a University outside of Canada does not justify the knowledge of Fundamentals of Engineering. You might have the knowledge of specialized engineering in the field that you took from your Master’s Degree but APEGA looks into the Bachelor’s Degree program where the Fundamentals of Engineering were taught. A Professional Engineer applicant must have graduated from a university that is recognized by the Canadian Engineering Accreditation Board. If you do not meet the
academic requirements, you may still be academically qualified if your total academic qualifications (including post-secondary and postgraduate studies, exams, courses, and experience) are acceptable to the Board of Examiners. Then, it is up to the Applicant to prove that he/she gained his/ her Fundamentals of Engineering knowledge from all formal education he/she accomplished. This can be proven by taking the Fundamentals of Engineering Exams or taking several Technical Exams. Your long work experience will NOT complement the academic requirements. Work Experience Evaluation is treated as an independent evaluation. I personally totally agree that our education from the Philippines is more than equivalent to what is required here in Canada. But,
the sad truth is they will look at the specific documents that prove equivalency. The Post Graduate Diploma, Master’s Degree, or PhD you gained from Academic Institutions outside of Canada can be added as an additional academic qualification but your Bachelor’s Degree will still matter in the Academic Evaluation. These Academic accomplishments will not replace your engineering experience, because these requirements are treated independently. The Articles I am writing for the Alberta Filipino Journal serve only as additional information based on my personal experiences and knowledge. For specific advice regarding your circumstances, you can email me and I am happy to answer all your concerns.
Ang tulong sa pag-upa ay muling idisinenyo at pinabuti
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ng bagong diskarte na tulong sa upa ay makakatulong sa higit pang mga Albertans, kasama na ang mga nagtatrabahong pamilya at ang mga pinaka nangangailangan. Matapos ang isang pagsusuri, muling idisinenyo ng gobyerno ang Rent Supplement Program upang matugunan ang mga pangangailangan ng Albertans sa mga mahirap na panahong ito. Ngayon at may higit na kakayahang umangkop sa pagpili ng pabahay, isasama sa programa ang pangmatagalang benepisyo para sa mga pinaka nangangailangan at isang bagong
pansamantalang benepisyo para sa mga nagtatrabaho na Albertans at sa mga nasa pagitan ng trabaho. Ang programang muling idisinenyo ay magbibigay ng kritikal na suporta sa pabahay para sa humigit-kumulang 11,600 na sambahayan - 3,800 higit pa kaysa sa sinisilbihan ngayon. Benepisyong Tulong sa Pag-upa Ang Benepisyong Tulong sa Pag-upa ay muling magbubukas sa Abril 1. Ang dating Direkta sa Suplemento sa Pagrenta ng Nangungupahan, itong pangmatagalang benepisyo ay magpapatuloy na magbigay
tulong na salapi sa mga Albertans na may pinakamababang kita sa buong lalawigan. Pansamantalang Benepisyong Tulong sa Pag-upa Ang Pansamantalang Benepisyong Tulong sa Pag-upa ay magbubukas para sa mga aplikasyon sa Mayo 1. Ang bagong pansamantalang benepisyo na ito ay magbibigay ng isang katamtamang tulong upang matulungan ang mga karapatdapat na nangungupahan sa pitong pangunahing mga sentro ng Alberta na mabayaran ang kanilang renta
habang pinatatag o pinapabuti ang kanilang sitwasyon. Magagamit ang mga detalye sa parehong benepisyo sa online. Mabilis na katotohanan • Ang Budget 2021 ay nagturok ng karagdagang $16 milyon sa Rent Supplement Program. • Ang mga aplikante na interesado sa alinmang benepisyo ay hinihimok na makipag-ugnay sa kanilang lokal na operator ng pabahay para sa mga detalye sa kung paano mag-apply. • Ang Affordable Housing Review Panel's report ay tinukoy ang isang
malinaw na pangangailangan upang muling tukuyin ang papel ng gobyerno, tumapik sa kadalubhasaan sa pamayanan, palawakin ang pakikipagsosyo, gantimpala ng pagbabago at gawing simple ang sistema. Tinanggap ng gobyerno ng Alberta ang lahat ng 19 na mga rekomendasyon ng panel. Ang gobyerno ng Alberta ay tumutugon sa COVID-19 pandemya sa pamamagitan ng pagprotekta sa mga buhay at kabuhayan na may tumpak na mga hakbang upang mabaluktot ang kurba, mapanatili ang maliliit na negosyo at protektahan ang sistema ng pangangalaga ng kalusugan ng Alberta.
Mga ipinag-uutos na paghihigpit Ang mga ipinag-uutos na hakbang sa kalusugan ng publiko ay ipapatupad sa buong Alberta upang mapabagal ang pagkalat ng COVID-19 at protektahan ang sistemang pangkalusugan.
Mga pagtitipon
Mga panloob na pagtitipon Ipinagbabawal ang lahat ng panloob na pagtitipong panlipunan. • Ang mga indibidwal na namumuhay mag-isa at mga nag-iisang magulang na nakatira lamang kasama ang mga anak na wala pang 18 taong gulang ay maaaring pumili ng dalawang tao na maaari nilang bisitahin sa mga paghihigpit na ito. Mga panlabas na pagtitipon Ang lahat na panlabas na mga lipunang pagtitipon ay limitado sa 10 katao na maximum at hindi dapat magkaroon ng panloob na bahagi. Mga kasal at libing Ipinagbabawal ang lahat ng mga pagtitipon sa kasal at libing. • Ang mga seremonya sa kasal ay limitado sa 10 katao • Ang mga serbisyo sa libing ay limitado sa 20 katao. www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
Mga lugar ng pagsamba Ang lahat ng mga lugar ng pagsamba ay limitado sa 15% ng pag-okupa ayon sa fire code para sa pagdalo ng personal. • Ang pagsusuot ng mask ay ipinaguutos. • Ang mga tao sa isang sambahayan ay dapat manatiling dalawang metro ang layo mula sa iba pang mga sambahayan sa lahat ng oras.
Pagsuot ng mask
Ang mga mask ay ipinag-uutos sa lahat ng panloob na pampublikong lugar, lugar ng trabaho at lugar ng pagsamba.
Nagtatrabaho mula sa bahay
Ang pagtatrabaho mula sa bahay ay ipinag-uutos maliban kung ang isang tagapag-empleyo ay nangangailangan ng pisikal na
pagkakaroon ng isang empleyado upang gumana nang epektibo.
Hindi pinapayagan ang serbisyo ng personal sa loob ng bahay.
Mga paghihigpit sa negosyo
Mga serbisyong pang-retail Ang lahat ng mga serbisyong pangretail at mga shopping mall ay dapat bawasan ang kapasidad ng customer sa 15% sa pagsakup ng fire code, hindi kasama ang mga tauhan.
Mga pasilidad ng aliwan at libangan Ang mga pasilidad ng aliwan at libangan ay dapat manatiling sarado. Kasama sa mga halimbawa ang mga teatro, casino, nightclub at museo. Dapat magsara ang mga aklatan. Ang mga bulwagan ng komunidad, mga sentro ng kumperensya at ang mga pasilidad sa panloob na libangan (tulad ng mga fitness center, spa at arena) ay maaaring buksan para sa kasalukuyang pinahihintulutang mga aktibidad. Mga serbisyong pampagkain Ang mga restawran, pub, bar, lounge at cafe ay maaaring buksan para sa pag-takeout, curbside pickup, paghahatid at panlabas na kainan sa patio, na may mga paghihigpit.
Mga serbisyong pangkalusugan at propesyonal Ang mga serbisyong pangkalusugan at pang-propesyonal ay maaaring buksan sa pamamagitan ng appointment lamang para sa mga serbisyo na isa-sa-isa. Dapat sundin ang lahat ng patnubay sa kalusugan at sektor ng publiko. Kasama sa mga halimbawa ang mga dentista, optometrist, therapist, acupunkurist, abogado at accountant. Mga serbisyong personal at personal na kalusugan
Ang mga serbisyo sa personal at personal na kalusugan ay maaaring buksan para sa appointment lamang sa mga serbisyo na isa-sa-isa. Dapat sundin ang lahat ng patnubay sa kalusugan at sektor ng publiko. Kasama sa mga halimbawa ang mga salon ng buhok at kuko, mga serbisyo na pang-estetika at massage therapy. Mga aktibidad sa pagganap, isport at pisikal Ipinagbabawal ang mga araling pagganap ng pangkat, mga palakasan ng koponan, at mga klase sa fitness. Pinapayagan ang isa-sa-isa na pagsasanay sa fitness, na may mga paghihigpit. Ang mga aktibidad sa palakasan ng kabataan at kolehiyo, libangan at mga aktibidad sa pagganap (10 maximum na kalahok) ay pinapayagan, na may mga paghihigpit.
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Opinion | Obituary
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
PEREZCOPE
Perry Diaz PerryDiaz@gmail.com I am a writer/columnist/journalist. I have two weekly columns -- "PerryScope" and "Balitang Kutsero." They're published in more than a dozen Filipino newspapers in five countries.
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ccording to Wikipedia, “The melting pot is a monocultural metaphor for a heterogeneous society becoming more homogeneous, the different elements ‘melting together’ with a common culture; an alternative being a homogeneous society becoming more heterogeneous through the influx of foreign elements with different cultural backgrounds, possessing the potential to create disharmony within the previous culture. Historically, it is often used to describe the cultural integration of immigrants to the United States. The melting-together metaphor was in use by the 1780s. The exact term ‘melting pot’ came into general usage in the United States after it was used as a metaphor describing a fusion of nationalities, cultures and ethnicities in the 1908 play of the same name.” Wikipedia further states: “The melting pot theory of ethnic relations, which sees American identity as centered upon the acculturation or assimilation and the intermarriage of white immigrant groups, has been analyzed by the emerging academic field of whiteness studies. This discipline examines the “social construction of whiteness” and highlights the changing ways in which whiteness has been normative to American national identity from the 17th to the 20th century.” Then came large numbers of European immigrants to the U.S. in the late 19th and early 20th centuries that increased the diversity and also substantially increased their numbers. Beginning in the 1890s, large numbers of Southern and Eastern Europeans such as the Italians, Jews, and Poles arrived. They eventually merged into the cultural melting pot, adopting American lifestyles. But when the Chinese arrived, they met intense hostility. New laws that were legislated in the 1880s tried to exclude them. But the hostile environment forced them into “Chinatowns” or ethnic enclaves like Little Sicily in New York City, which prevented assimilation. At the turn of the 20th century, when the Philippine Islands became an American colony, Filipinos started arriving in Hawaii – then an American territory -- to work in the plantations. In the 1920s they started arriving in California and other western states to fill the shortage of farm workers. However, the “nativists” wanted to severely restrict access to the
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Is the melting pot cracking? melting pot. They felt that far too many "undesirables," or in their view, culturally inferior immigrants from Southern and Eastern Europe had already arrived. A series of immigration laws in the 1920s established the principle that “the number of new arrivals should be small, and, apart from family reunification, the inflow of new immigrants should match the ethnic profile of the nation as it existed at that time.” National quotas were established that discouraged immigration from Poland, Italy and Russia and encouraged immigration from Britain, Ireland and Germany. Intermarriage between white American men and Native American women became common. In the 21st century some 7.5 million Americas claim Native American ancestry. Anti-miscegenation laws However, the mixing of whites and blacks – resulting in multiracial children – for whom the term “miscegenation” was coined in 1863, was taboo. Most whites opposed marriages between whites and blacks, which was even prohibited by state law through the antimiscegenation laws. It’s interesting to note that the Filipino men who arrived without women were targeted. California, which had a large number of Filipino workers, was one of the states that had anti-miscegenation laws. As a result, Filipino men who had white girlfriends had to travel to other states where there were no antimiscegenation laws, to get married. Then they returned to California to raise their families. Then World War II erupted! After Japan attacked Pearl Harbor, President Franklin D. Roosevelt pledged to defend the Philippine Commonwealth. “So long as the flag of the United States flies on Filipino soil as a pledge of our duty to your people, it will be defended by our own men to the death,” he said. President Roosevelt ordered that all military forces in the Philippines be under the control of the U.S. Armed Forces of the Far East (USAFFE). Tens of thousands of Filipinos answered Roosevelt’s “call to arms.” One of those who served was Jose Calugas, a member of the Philippine Scouts. He fought bravely in the Battle of Bataan. He was captured and was forced to march in the Death March. He survived and was released in 1943. He was then secretly assigned to a guerilla unit in the Philippines where he fought until the liberation of the Philippines. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for actions during the Battle of Bataan. After the war, unmarried Filipino veterans took their “war brides” to the U.S. and raised their families. Their children and the children of Filipino farm workers came to be known as the “Bridge Generation,” of which many of them found their niche in the community. Since World War II, the idea of the melting pot has become more racially inclusive in the United
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(Kerem Yucel / AFP)
States, gradually extending also to acceptance of marriage between whites and non-whites. But 2020 has become a turning point in U.S. history. Former president Donald Trump who had divided America with his racist views and policies left the office by promoting his “Big Lie” to the American people. Like Adolf Hitler, Trump used them as his propaganda technique, taking a page right out of Hilter’s playbook. And it almost destroyed democracy. He tried to stage a coup d’état on January 6, 2020, when he incited a bloody insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. Tens of thousands of predominantly white men stormed the Capitol after listening to Trump who told the angry mob that the election had been stolen from him. “If you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore,” Trump told the seething crowd, urging them to head to the Capitol. By nightfall, four people were dead, and the angry mob trashed offices throughout the Capitol, with lawmakers forced to barricade themselves in the House debating chamber or sheltering in their offices. Democratic Rep. Elaine Luria, a Navy veteran, tweeted: “I had to evacuate my office because of a pipe bomb reported outside. Supporters of the President are trying to force their way into the Capitol and I can hear what sounds like multiple gunshots.” Democratic Rep. Jim Himes of Connecticut tweeted that lawmakers had been asked to get out gas masks “as there has been tear gas used in the rotunda,” the circular building in the center of the Capitol. Anti-Asian violence When Trump called the coronavirus Covid-19 “China virus” and “Kung Flu,” it created an angry backlash against Asian-Americans. AntiAsian violence has erupted in various cities across the U.S. Many Asian-Americans across the country were killed or harmed as a result of Trump’s characterization of the coronavirus. The American melting pot, which has withstood the test of time for more than 100 years, is suddenly under stress as the Asian-American community is being blamed for the
Covid-19 pandemic that has claimed more than 500,000 lives so far. When would the violence against Asian-Americans end? What has the Biden administration done to mitigate the violence, which doesn’t seem to end? I recommend that President Joe Biden initiate a
nationwide educational campaign to clarify the causes of the Covid-19 virus and to allay fears among Asian-Americans. A presidential involvement to mitigate the violence against Asia-Americans is very much in order. Otherwise, the melting pot is bound to crack.
It is with deep sorrow to announce that Rudy “Oyet” Del Rosario, brother to Lulu Bernal, passed away while on vacation in the Philippines. Our condolences to the bereaved family. May he rest in peace!
www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
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Mind Twisters
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
CR OSSWOR D
Copyright @ www.boatloadpuzzles.com
HOROSCOPE
Copyright @ www.horoscope.com
You’ve talked the talk over the last couple of weeks, Aries, but now it’s time to walk the walk. As the sun in your sign sextiles Mars in Gemini on Tuesday, go after what you want with enthusiasm and drive. It’s okay to act in your selfinterest just as long as you have a plan.
Watch out for miscommunication on Monday, Libra, because it could lead to serious relationship issues. Juno goes retrograde in Sagittarius and your sector of communication and logic, creating some tension and jealousy. Speak calmly and give the other person the benefit of the doubt before you go off.
It’s almost your season, Taurus, and you’ll start feeling the effects when lovely Venus enters your sign on Wednesday. Venus is your ruling planet, so get ready to feel the love for the next few weeks. The planet of love and beauty will help create new beginnings when it comes to love and financial pursuits. Just keep loving yourself and good fortune will follow.
Begin the week with some self-improvement when the sun in Aries sextiles Mars in Gemini on Tuesday. This aspect can drive you toward growth and change if you’re willing to put in the work. This aspect could feel like a rebirth for you, Scorpio, so rise like the phoenix you are.
The start of the week gives you a major boost of energy and drive when the sun in Aries sextiles Mars in your sign on Tuesday. This aspect creates sudden windfalls from the universe and positive surprises that will benefit you greatly. Just keep doing you, Gemini.
Oh no, Cancer! It looks like the ghost of relationships past comes to haunt you when Juno goes retrograde in Sagittarius on Monday. This retrograde occurs in your habit zone, which could mean that your bad relationship habits reappear in your life. Learn from your mistakes or be forced to relive them.
Lend a helping hand this week, Leo. On Tuesday, the sun in Aries sextiles Mars in Gemini, encouraging you to get involved in humanitarian efforts. Use your natural enthusiasm and throw yourself into a cause you believe in. Sure, you won’t be able to solve all the world’s problems, but you can find ways to help your local community.
Love can go the distance, Virgo, as long as you can keep an open mind. On Wednesday, Venus enters Taurus and your philosophy zone, encouraging you to rethink your beliefs about love, beauty, and money. Maybe a long-distance relationship could work out? Or a chair would look good in your home? Maybe you should invest in a company? Allow yourself to learn and grow!
March 2021 Crossword's Solution
Try to be chill this week, Sagittarius. While we usually love your fiery nature, it could burn some of your important relationships to the ground when Juno goes retrograde in your sign on Monday. Lack of self-awareness and impulsive behavior could shake things up in a negative way, so try to be present.
Your week begins on a very indulgent note when Venus enters Taurus on Wednesday. Venus will be in your pleasure zone for the next few weeks, encouraging you to be creative and express yourself. Start a new hobby or new love affair. It’s okay to splurge a little on some luxury items. You deserve it, Capricorn.
ACROSS DOWN 1. Fri. follower 1. Capital of Oregon 4. ___ Alamos 2. Remain 7. Fables 3. Moderately warm 12. Pres. Lincoln 4. Deposit eggs 13. "We ___ Family" 5. Elaborate 14. Unseals 6. Zone 15. Pretend to sing (2 wds.) 7. Roman garment 17. School division 8. Spring month 18. Blue-pencil 9. Least fatty 19. Reach 10. Outcome 21. Peacemaker 11. Compass point (abbr.) 23. Carson's successor 16. Pigs' homes 26. All 20. Make a stab at 27. Watch 22. Rd. 28. Pursue 24. Originally called 31. Devourer 25. Above, in verse 33. School vehicle 28. ABC rival 34. Perfumes 29. Tint 37. Gels 30. With a leg on each side 39. Orthodontic device 31. Picher's stat 43. Microwave again 32. Stage remark 45. Over 34. Natural mineral 46. Vanity 35. Honey 48. Get 36. Aquatic mammals 50. Wave type 38. Auto 51. Pension plan (abbr.) 40. Library no-no 52. Mayday! 41. Ambassador 53. Revise 24. ___ Witherspoon of 54. NYC time zone "Sweet Home Alabama" 55. Potato bud 44. Clasped 46. "Harper Valley ___ " 47. Lip 49. Garfield, e.g.
We’re officially into spring, Aquarius, and you know what that means? Spring cleaning! On Wednesday, Venus enters Taurus and your sector of home, where it will stay for the next few weeks. This is a perfect time to clean up your space and even redecorate your space. New season, new furniture, new you!
Words become romantic and devoted when Venus enters steady Taurus on Wednesday. For the next few weeks, the planet of love and beauty will be in your sector of communication and logic. Communication in partnerships becomes easier and things just seem to work out! Enjoy this ease by taking short trips or meeting new people, if possible.
Sudoku Puzzles are games of patience, numbers and genius! The satisfaction of solving a challenging Sudoku Puzzle is one of the greatest accomplishments any sudoku game player can experience. The rules are simple, fill in the blanks so that each row, each column, and each of the nine 3x3 grids contain one instance of each of the numbers 1 through 9.
Here is the puzzle. Good luck!
March 2021 Issue Sudoku's Solution
Copyright @ www.puzzles.ca
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THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Business
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
TATAK UPAAE
PANFILO “POMPEII” QUEDADO BS Agriculture, 1961 UP Los Baños MS Agriculture, 1963 UP Los Baños BSc Agriculture, 1972 University of Alberta UP (University of the Philippines) graduates have a long-standing tradition of introducing one’s self with the assigned student number after enrolment. That’s why at UPAAE meetings, it has become traditional to state the student number and the course or program that one graduated with. However, this does not, and did not apply, to Tito Pompeii, or Panfilo “Pompeii” Quedado. When he went to UP Los Baños in the late 1950s, there was no assignment of student numbers yet. In those bygone years, an Ikot ride was 10 cents, a bottle of Cosmos Orange (pop) 5 cents, and a bowl of lugaw (congee), 30 cents. There were only two colleges – Agriculture and Forestry on campus. Most notably, the university hymn was still sung in the English version, that is, UP, My Beloved. Tito Pompeii, a native of the Ilocos region of northern Philippines, is one of the more senior members of UPAAE. He is also one of the first UP alumni to come to Edmonton. Alberta was not his first destination when he planned on moving to Canada. His heart was set on Saskatchewan, arriving in 1968 to join his then girlfriend, a nurse from his hometown. Unfortunately, the relationship did not last, and he had a work-related accident that severed the tips of his fingers. Things were looking dim for him in Regina, and so he packed his bags and bid goodbye. Wanderlust beckoned him to Edmonton in 1969. Already armed with an undergraduate and graduate degrees in Agriculture from UPLB, he enrolled in the same course at the University of Alberta, which would pave the way for a brilliant career that began with the Design Section of the Parks and Recreation Section of the City of Edmonton. Tito Pompeii Quedado is credited for the design of the first collection of tropical plants at the Muttart Conservatory. The tropical pavilion was his responsibility and prized professional success. UPAAE sat down and interviewed a smartly-dressed and enthusiastic Tito Pompeii who was accompanied by his elegant and supportive wife, Ms. Amor Bihis. Please enjoy Tito Pompeii’s candidness and warmth as he talks like you’ve known each other forever.
- Golf and watching Probinsiyano on TFC What’s the one thing you haven’t done that you’d love to do? - (An emotional Tito Pompeii, his eyes brimming with tears, chokingly replied to this question.) It would have been to tell my parents how much I loved them, especially after all that they had done for me, especially sending me to school. What is your idea of perfect happiness? - Being with his wife, Amor. What is your greatest extravagance? - Golf and clothes. My clothes should always be coordinated. What is the quality you most like in a person? - Humility.
What or who is the greatest love of your life? - My wife, Amor. When and where were you happiest? - College graduation at UPLB. I recalled the words my mother said when we were young: “Maiaahon mo ang iyung sarili mula sa putik kapag nakapag-aral ka.” Which talent would you most like to have? - To be better at golf What do you consider your greatest achievement? - Having two children who are themselves achievers in their respective fields. I never had any problems with them. My son is a lawyer practising in Ontario and my daughter is in finance here in Alberta. What is your most treasured possession?
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- My wife, Amor. What is your favourite occupation? - Sales. I worked in Agriculture after graduation but it was not to my liking. I worked for Hoescht Philippines as medical representative for five years serving the Mindanao area and enjoyed it very much. I was supervisor of Northern Mindanao. What do you most value in your friends? - Sincerity What is your greatest regret? - That I did not proceed with my military training. What is your motto? - Don’t quit. What was the best piece of advice you received when you had just arrived in Edmonton? - Magtiis muna.
What is your fondest memory of UP? - Taking the bike to get around school. Being a member of Alpha Phi Omega and living in the frat house. If you didn’t do what you did for a living, what would you be? - I would be a CEO of a company or a soldier. What’s the best thing about Edmonton? - It is laid back. What do you miss most about the Philippines? - I have spent most of my adult life in Canada but my heart is in the Philippines. What is your favourite pastime/TV show? All photos and articles available online. Follow us
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Community | Arts and Culture
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
Greetings
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
29
CELEBRATIONS OF LIFE: Moving Ahead
Birthdays are everyone’s most cherished moment as this is when we celebrate the covenant between life and its Giver. Nobody is born alone. There are two causes of life that we have to acknowledge, appreciate, and recognize. The first is the Ultimate Cause or Giver, our God and the second are the proximate causes, our parents. Now, He who doesn’t acknowledge, appreciate, and recognize his or her life is also rejecting its Causes. Lucky are these individuals who truly celebrate life with the significant people around. May you all continue to share the gift of life to others. Active co-existence follows essence.
Happy birthday Larry Umipig
From Left: Marge, Rona, Julia, Rod, Nico, Larry the birthday boy, Nonoy, Roldan, Mel, Alice, Ronnie, and Lydia Jimenez
Lianne Angeles, AFJ’s Associate Editor
From Left: DJ Rolan Latorre, Editor Lito Velasco, Lito Agasino, Allysa Agasino, Beng Agasino, Andy Chua the birthday boy, and Jun Angeles the Publisher
LA BELLO’S NEW LOCATION: 8208 - 175 Street, NW, Edmonton, Alberta
CONGRATULATIONS!
From Left: Ate Elna , AJ, Ate Lyn; Allyn-La Bello’s endorser; Shan Icaro-nail tech; and Faye Sales-CEO and Clinical Aesthetician
All photos and articles available online. Follow us
From Left: Shan Icaro, nail tech-nailbychan; Freshbelle, Fregie and Fritzie, the Pearson sisters-La Bello endorsers; and Faye Sales-CEO and Clinical Aesthetician
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Poetry | Community | Philanthropy
INOCENCIO: Sino siya? Si Inocencio Walberto Ancheta Villadores, 66 na taong gulang, ay ipinanganak sa liblib na komunidad ng Cagayan. Isang guro at nagnanais na ibabagi kanyang payak na kaisipan sa larangan ng pagkatha ng tula na may katuturan upang palaganapin sa santinakpan at ialay sa Inang Bayan.
Inocencio Walberto Ancheta
Mga Kagalang-Galang Na Lingkod Bayan: Isa po akong karaniwang mamamayan, may pagnanais na umunlad ang bayan ay dumudulog sa inyong pamamagaitan pahapyawang suriin munti kong kaisipan
ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
Buod po nitong simpleng kaisipan; piso-piso po sana tayo ay mag abuluyan, sa bawat araw na likom ay matutustusan, pangangailangan, abang mamamayan.
Bumukal na piso, sa mabusilak na puso, hiwaga ay sukling makapitompu’t-pito, Pagka’t hiigit sa sapat, biyayang matatamo; hindi sinungaling ang panaligan ng tao.
Isang daang milyon, bawat araw na likom, tatlong bilyon naman ang buwanang ipon; kung magpapatuloy at di lang ningas kugon; bayan ay paraiso, sa maikling manahon.
Pangunahing layon, sa salaping naipon ay murang pabahay sa maralitang ka-nayon, libreng paaralan, simbahan, at pagamutan; mainam na pamayanan sa iisang bakuran.
Wika ng ilan, ay madaling isipin at sa kabila nito ay mahirap gawin; iwasang kutyain, bagkus ay linangin at walang di-kakayanin kung ating iibigin.
Bagamat lantay, ang tulang sinaysay, puno ng sangkap sa pang araw-araw na buhay; layunin ng kunatha’y makamit ang tunay na diwa ng bayanihan sana'y mapagtibay.
Atin ngang masdan, pagkahumaling sa lotto mariing tinutulan ng simbahang katoliko ay nakakalikom ng napakalaking pondo para sa papremyo ng iilang tao.
Lingkod ay handang makipagtalakayan upang baybayin mga kaparaanan at ibahagi kaunting kaalaman sa katuparan panukalang kapaki-pakinabang.
Porsyento ng gobyerno ay kakapiranggot lamang Sa di umano'y tulong, di naman maramdaman; ano nga bang pakinabang ang maaasahan kung sa kalayawan ang pagmumulan.
Maraming salamat po. INOCENCIO WALBERTO VILLADORES 990-99-53/09276657004 (zaldy_adonis@yahoo.com)
Inyo po sanang basahin at komentuhan baka po lamang, diwa ay masang-ayunan aking panukalang alay sa bayan. Sa tula ko tinalastas ang advokasyang lantay at kung malalapatan lamang ng maningning na kulay wangis ay obra-maestrang tunay na may buhaybuhay na patungkol sa ginintuang pakay.
Pisong Makislap Sa Pusong Busilak katha ni Inocencio Walberto A. Villadores
Isang daang sentimo, katumbas ay piso mata'y ko mang isipin walang mabibili ito isang daang milyon, bilang ng tao di kaila, bawat isa ay mayroong piso. Salat sa halaga, ang naturang piso, hiwagang taglay di pansin ng tao; kung mapagsama-sama lamang natin ito, bilang ng tao, siyang dami ng piso Sa tulong ng maykapal, sana ay tumimo sa isip at sa puso'y magbuklod-buklod tayo at sa gawa naman ay ang pakikibahagi ko mag-alay ng luhang kaagapay ay piso. At kung luha'y pumatak sa mukhang walang kislap, dulot ay kagaanan sa pasaning mabigat papawiin ang hinagpis, sanhi ng paghihirap, maginhawang kalooban ng mga taong salat. Panibagong lakas, dukha'y aalpas sa mahigpit na lingkis ng kapalarang marahas; sa wakas bayan, nagkaroon na ng lunas ano mang suliranin tiyak malulutas. Dumatal na nga kaibigan ating panghawakan tunay na damayan ang natatanging paraan ikaliligaya kapwang nangangailangan ikalulugod tiyak ng sa atin ay Lumalang. At kung lumaganap kulturang mapanglingap, walang alinlangan na wala nang mahirap, gawaing mabuti, sukli ay di masusukat wagas na pagkalinga, Diyos ang magpapaganap. Maaaring panaginip, saling ng karamihan; kaisipang payak, kung mapagtutuunan lamang, tunghay at hiwagang tila walang hanggan, siksik na pakinabang, apaw na kaligayahan. Di nga ba kaibigan, mga angel sa kalangitan; panaginip ang paraan, makapangusap sa hinirang, sulatin mga salitang tunay na makatotohanan upang masumpungan mithiing tuwid na daan. Taimtim kong panalangin, sana ay pakinggan; panukala'y talakayin kahit mangilan-ngilan, tiyak may makikinig sa ating kalagitnaan upang basbasan, paksa ay masang-ayunan. www.AlbertaFilipinoJournal.com
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA
APRIL 2021 ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL
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Business
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ALBERTA FILIPINO JOURNAL APRIL 2021
THE PULSE OF THE FILIPINO COMMUNITY IN THE PROVINCE OF ALBERTA, CANADA